Queen of the Crossroads
by SlytherinPrefect2014
Summary: Hekate felt that the universe just loved to play jokes on her. Her mother somehow got into mythology while pregnant. Since she was born on Halloween, she was named after the Goddess Hekate. She has all of Hekate's powers, she can touch someone and kill them, she can see ghosts. Then the universe decided to make her the mate to three vampire kings. She never got a break it seemed.
1. Chapter 1

_So, just as a head up, the beginning is going to be slow burn until chapter 7. She won't meet the kings until then._

 _I also pick a person to model all my characters off of. For Hekate I chose Bailee Madison, as of this year._

 _I really hope you like this fic, guys! It's taken over my brain to where I can't write for anything else._

* * *

Hekate Jackson appeared to be your normal New York girl. She loved fashion, school, her friend Mariana and her mom. Hekate was very smart, even skipping a year in middle school. She always had straight A's. She planned on going to college after graduating. She was going to take a certified nursing assistant class her senior year because of her mom. Her mom was her role model in life. Hekate wanted to be a RN like she was.

You'd never guess what Hekate kept hidden underneath all of that. She wasn't a terrible person, she was very nice in fact. She was a sweetheart, but this sweetheart could kill people with a touch. She always thought the universe played a joke on her. A very sick, twisted, cruel joke. Later in life she developed the ability to see the supernatural. She could see ghosts, demons, poltergeists and detect when someone wasn't human. She had the powers of her namesake, the Goddess Hekate.

Her mother got into mythology while she was pregnant. She had never given it much thought before that. Since Hekate somehow happened to be born on October 31st, her mom named her after the witch goddess, Hekate.

Hekate didn't find out the real joke the universe played on her for a while. Her powers kicked in when she was five years old. She was at the park, wandering around while her mom watched. Someone's dog got loose and attacked her when she approached it. She fell back, the dog snapping at her. Hekate tried to push the dog away from her, crying out in fear. She felt her hands tingle before the dog fell limp beside her. Hekate had cried for hours about that, blaming herself for the dog dying. Her parents consoled her, saying the dog must have been sick and that's why he attacked. Hekate never believed them.

The second time Hekate's power activated was when she was ten, leaving her scarred for life.

Robert Jackson was a handsome man. He had dark brown hair, light brown eyes that he passed down to his daughter. She was the mirror image of him. He was a partner in a law firm. That's how he met his wife and Hekate's mother, Selena. Selena was a nurse in the ER and was treating a client of his. They hit it off quickly, falling into a whirlwind romance. Robert and Selena got married a year and a half later. Another year later, Selena was pregnant.

Robert, Selena and Hekate were the cliché happy family. Robert would take Hekate to daycare, school, play dates and things like that. Selena would spend her off days and on-call days with her family since her shifts were so long. Robert and Selena were still very much in love, until Hekate was nine.

Robert began to face troubles at work, already weary of the job from so many tough cases. His partners were trying to cut him out, not that he would tell his family that. He began drinking after Hekate went to sleep, at first. He soon escalated until he began drinking after work. That's when Robert changed. He was mean, snappy and didn't care much about his girls. Hekate had to have her friend's parents drive her home. Selena would argue with Robert when she thought Hekate couldn't hear, she usually could.

Robert began getting abusive when Hekate was ten. Hekate didn't notice at first, not until her father began beating her mother in front of her. Hekate would be too terrified to say anything or try and stop her father. He was extremely violent when drunk.

One night, Hekate had had enough. Robert was yelling about something stupid, something Hekate couldn't remember anymore. Selena tried to go put her daughter to bed, something Robert didn't like. He slapped his wife so hard she fell to the ground, holding her cheek. He went to kick her but Hekate ran to him,

"Dad, stop!"

"Shut up, Hekate and go to your room!"

Robert had tried to grab Hekate's arm to pull her when she didn't move. "Now!"

Hekate cried out in pain as he squeezed too tightly, tight enough to leave dark bruises later. "No!" She tried to push his arm off, feeling the tingle in her hands again. Hekate gasped when her father's hand fell off her, watching as her father crumpled to the ground. She tried to shake him, tried to get him to respond but he never did.

Her mother had picked her daughter up, running to her room and called the police. The whole time Hekate wouldn't let anyone touch her or touch anyone. She was barely able to answer the police officer's questions. She had shut down, replaying the scene over and over in her head.

Hekate had killed her father just by touching him.

Selena then became Hekate's entire world. She became the best mom she could have ever asked for. Even though she had long shifts, she still made time for her daughter. She made sure she never felt like she was alone. She never suspected Hekate was the one who killed Robert, believing the coroner's findings of a heart attack. With Selena taking care of her, Hekate grew up into a wonderful young woman.

Hekate was beautiful, just like her parents. She always let her hair down, it being naturally straight. She was very good at makeup, applying it every day since she was around sixteen. She loved fashion and expressing herself through clothes. The other girls at school usually complimented her on her outfits, if they weren't too jealous. Hekate never really talked to anyone besides her best friend, Mariana, so he ignored them all.

Hekate and Mariana spent all day together during the week and sometimes during the weekends. They had almost all of the same classes, had lunch together and walked home together. Most days they would stop at their favorite coffee shop and walk through the park.

This Friday didn't seem like that was going to change, but the universe loved to mess with Hekate it seemed.

{X}

Hekate's long hair was pulled back in a braid for once. She was wearing a green flannel shirt, a vintage rock band tee underneath and some jean capris. She wore black flats to complete her outfit. She had on some green eyeshadow to match her flannel, some winged eyeliner as well. She had dark red lipstick on, some of it smearing on the straw she was sipping iced coffee through. Hekate rolled her eyes as another boy was openly staring at her. Her expression brightened as Mariana sat across from her, finally having her own coffee.

Mariana's black hair was half up, half down. She had on some winged eyeliner around her brown eyes, not going for a lot of makeup like her friend. She just liked eyeliner, mascara and lipstick. She was wearing a t-shirt dress in a light-yellow color. She had on black converse that matched her jewelry.

Mariana grinned at Hekate, "That guy over there is checking you out."

Hekate huffed softly as she put her drink down, "I know."

Mariana just laughed softly, "Still no one you're interested in?"

Hekate shook her head, "Nope." She shrugged as she looked down at her phone, texting her mom back about where she was.

Mariana hummed as she drank her own coffee, looking through her messages. She then frowned as her mom didn't know where Martin was, her older brother. She looked up at Hekate, sighing. "Martin is missing, again."

Hekate frowned at her friend, lightly drumming her nails on the table. "What's up with Martin lately?"

Mariana shrugged, texting her brother while she talked. "I don't know… He's been snappy with me lately when I ask. He's been worrying Ma a lot." She got up, throwing her empty drink away, "Wanna head home?"

Hekate threw hers away, glaring at the guy who hadn't stopped staring. She smirked when he finally looked away, his face flushing. She followed Mariana out onto the street, walking beside her. "Do you think he's got a secret girlfriend?"

Mariana snorted softly, "I doubt it. He hasn't hidden any of his other girlfriends from us. Why would he start now?"

Hekate sighed as she put her phone in her pocket, looking around curiously at all the people around them. "I don't know… Just trying to figure it out."

Mariana paused as she saw a flash of brown and black, looking across the street. "Hekate, look."

Hekate looked and gasped, Martin was walking down the street. He was talking on the phone, looking a little irritated. Hekate also noticed the new tattoo on his shoulder, "When did he get a tattoo?"

Mariana glared as she turned around, holding Hekate's hand so she didn't lose her. "I don't know but Ma is going to be pissed." She then began pulling her friend behind her, "Come on, let's find out where he's going."

Hekate was glad she was wearing fingerless gloves like usual, too afraid to let anyone touch her hand otherwise. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"

Mariana looked back at her, grinning. "Yeah. Then I can tell Ma and he'll be so busted. I bet he's just sneaking off to go drink."

Hekate sighed as she walked beside her friend, staying back enough so Martin never noticed them. "He really needs to be busted… he's gotten such an attitude lately."

Mariana frowned as they turned around a corner, dodging some people who nearly ran into them. "I know. I've wanted to punch him for a while. Ma always says-"

Hekate laughed softly, "Karma's a bitch and you're better than that."

Mariana smirked at her friend, "Yep." She then stopped when they turned a corner, pulling Hekate back behind the wall.

Hekate frowned as she looked down at her friend, "Mariana?"

Mariana looked up at her friend, squeezing her hand tightly. "I recognize the guys he's with… They're a gang that's been rising in the neighborhood… They're really dangerous, Hekate. They've killed people, a lot of people."

Hekate felt her heart beat quickly in her chest, peering around the corner. "Martin joined them…?" She could see Martin talking to another guy. The second guy was covered in tattoos, having some on his face though she couldn't see what. She could see the gun in his pants, poking out over his tank top. She looked back at her friend, gulping. "We should go…"

Mariana shook her head, biting her lip. She then sighed as she looked again, "I'm going to see what they're up to. I need to know what Martin's done. We need to help him."

Hekate squeezed Mariana's hand tightly, keeping her put. "We can't help him if we're dead, Mariana."

Mariana looked up at her friend, her eyes showing how determined she was. "He's my brother, Hekate. He's stupid and a jerk, but I love him. Please? We can go after we get a video on your camera."

Hekate sighed, slumping her shoulders. "Okay, but we have to be careful." She reluctantly followed her friend, sneaking along the street. They hid at the edge of the next building, crouched down behind a huge flower pot. She got out her camera, starting a video. Together the two of them listened into the conversation.

Martin: "So, I'm finally going to be initiated?"

Stranger: "Yeah, dude. Tonight, I promise. The boss was really impressed with how you took out those rival gang members. You'll fit right in here."

Martin: "I'm glad. I've been waiting for this."

Stranger: "I know. We've noticed how patient you've been, we've noticed. It won't be for nothing, though dude. You'll get some new ink tonight after some more blood is spilled, we're gonna party."

Martin: "Hell yeah, dude."

Mariana gasped, looking up at her friend as she whispered. "Martin killed people… Oh my god…" She stood up against the wall, placing her hand over her heart. "I can' br-breathe…"

Hekate stood up, rubbing her friend's shoulders. "Focus, Mariana, on your breathing. In, out. Slowly. Breathe, okay?" She peered over to see no one had noticed them yet. She turned back to Mariana, "We got to go, okay?"

Mariana didn't seem to be listening to her, staring at the ground looking like she'd seen a ghost. "Martin… he… He killed someone…"

Hekate tried to grab her but Mariana jumped out from behind the building, "Mari, "She whispered harshly.

Mariana ignored her, walking to her brother since he was alone on the street now. "You killed someone, Martin?"

Martin turned to her, his eyes widening in shock. "Sis… You got to get out of here, now!"

Mariana planted her feet, glaring up at him. "You killed someone, Martin, you're in a gang? What's going on with you?"

"Who's this?"

Martin froze as his friend came up behind him, eyeing his sister. He stood in front of her, blocking her from view. "No one."

The man shook his head, "Come on, dude, I know that's your sister. I'm not stupid, or deaf. She's near hysterical man. She needs to shut up before she tells someone."

Martin gently pushed Mariana back behind him more, trying to be sly about it. "She won't tell anyone, Nick."

Nick raised an eyebrow at Martin, gently rubbing his fingers over the metal of his gun. "Oh really? She looks ready to take off."

Mariana gulped, holding tightly onto her brother's jacket. "N-no…"

Nick chuckled, "Uh ha. Sure, sugar." He quickly raised his hand up, shooting Mariana in the head. A second later Mariana fell to the ground, blood spilling out onto the ground around her head.

Hekate's gasp was covered by her hand, shaking in fear and shock. She had just seen her friend casually shot in the head. She glanced up at Martin to see him fighting Nick. Hekate stepped onto the street, her camera now in her bag. "M-martin?" She didn't know where to run and get help or help Martin now.

Martin turned to her after punching Nick, using the short break he had. "Get out of here, Hekate! I got him."

Nick grabbed Martin's shirt and pulled him down, punching him in the face so hard a tooth fell out. "I doubt that, boy."

Hekate stepped back in fear, debating for a few seconds before running. She continued running even when she heard Nick and Martin calling out to her. She made it to the street corner just as she heard another gunshot. She turned and cried out as she saw Martin fall to the ground, grasping at his chest wound. Nick had also shot Martin.

{X}

"Haya?... Haya!"

Haya looked up at her new guard, Marshal Lincoln Williams. He was frowning down at her, holding out her new case of colored contacts. "Can you wear these?"

Hekate, no, Haya as she was now called, looked down at the case. She sighed softly before nodding, "Yeah… I've worn cosmetic contacts before."

Lincoln nodded his head, "Good. Put a pair in." He handed over a bag full of contact solution and contact cases. "Make sure to keep a pair on you at all times, even an extra. We have to protect your identity."

Haya walked to the mirror, sighing as she placed the emerald green contacts in her eyes. She blinked to get them in focus, looking in the mirror. Her hair had been lightened a few shades since it was difficult to dye brown hair. Her eyes were now green instead of brown. Her eyes though, they weren't as happy and lively as before. She looked a little dead inside, scared.

Lincoln gently rubbed her shoulder, looking down at her. "You're going to be alright, Haya. After all this is over you can go back to your mom, to your real life."

Haya glanced in the mirror at herself, gently rubbing her face. "Without Mariana…"

Lincoln frowned softly before gently patting her shoulder, "We got to get going, Haya. Our plane leaves soon. You're going to be riding in a private jet for the first time!"

Haya managed a small smile for her new friend, "That's something to look forward to… No crowded airplane seats."

Lincoln smiled as he grabbed her bags, walking to the door. "Exactly, kiddo."


	2. Chapter 2

_Wow, I'm surprised so many people like this story. Hekate started off as an OC for Emmett. It just wouldn't flow right so I tried it as a three kings story because I love them. I have a thing for villains, sue me. This is still a little rough so if I make any mistakes, feel free to tell me._

* * *

 **LJK:** Thank you so much!

 **Silverdeaf1977:** Thank you, I'm so glad you love it! I love Hekate myself too. I have a deep love for all the pantheons, especially the dark kind. Not that they're evil, they just are associated with dark things like Anubis and Hekate. Hekate is going to meet the kings in chapter 8. I'm already writing chapter 9 and don't plan on stopping for a long time.

 **Lacbd:** Thank you! I'm sorry the chapters are short right now but not much is happening. It's a lot of backstory to get to the good stuff.

* * *

Charlie sighed as he looked over the papers the Marshall handed to him earlier that day. The only reason he was allowed to know what happened to Haya, or Hekate, was because of his title. He was the next best person to keep a look out for Haya in Forks. He had already promised Lincoln he would never do anything to compromise Haya's safety.

He wished he didn't have to know though, because now his heart hurt for the young girl he saw for a few seconds. She had seemed so quiet and withdrawn. Her previous pictures showed she used to be a very happy teenager. He read over the file, including the report Hekate filed after running to the police station. He didn't know what all was happening with the trial against that gang but he hoped it would end soon. This young woman was dragged away from her only parent left, her mother, after losing her best friend. She had witnessed three people die in front of her in her short lifetime. She deserved some peace in her life, something she'd only get after those guys were put away for good.

Charlie looked up when Bella ran down the stairs, almost falling. "Bella, I need to talk to you before you go."

Bella sighed as she walked into the kitchen, watching as Charlie hid all the papers in the manila folder. "I thought you un-grounded me, dad."

Charlie frowned, "I did… Don't make me take that back. I don't trust that guy, at all."

Bella felt her lips tug up a little, "I know dad, but I love him and he's not going to let me get hurt again."

Charlie narrowed his eyes, "He better not." He wanted to kill Edward when he showed up at the hospital to see Bella in a cast. He still wanted to kill the Cullen child, but refrained, barely. It probably had to do with what Bella said before she left. It still hurt him even though she apologized.

Charlie sipped at his coffee before getting up, putting his jacket on. "There's a new girl joining your school today. Her name's Haya Jackson. Will you keep an eye on her for me, be there for her? She doesn't have anyone and she could use a friend."

Bella frowned, thinking about spending any time away from Edward but her dad seemed really worried. "I'll try."

Charlie nodded, kissing her head on his way out. "Thanks, Bells, I'll see you tonight. Don't be back too late."

Bella walked outside and got in her truck, driving to school. She sighed softly as she thought about the new girl. She hoped the school didn't react like they did for her, otherwise she'd be overwhelmed.

{X}

Haya felt her hands shaking as she parked at the end of the school parking lot. Lincoln had got her a used car to use while they were there, saying it was better for her. She could blend in and be able to get away easier if something happened. She wished now counted as one of those situations. She wanted to run away. She could see all the students staring at her curiously, waiting for her to step out of the car. No one knew anything about her besides she was a junior, joining the school year even though it was almost over. Lincoln had to use his status to get the school to comply. He made sure all her classes transferred as well, not wanting her to fall behind any.

Haya looked into the mirror, making sure her contacts were in place. "Fuck." She opened the door, slinging her backpack on her shoulder. She shut the door to her black, 2000 model Camry. She looked up to see everyone staring still. She sighed as she ignored them all, walking into the main building. She walked into the office and to the receptionist's desk. "Hello, I'm Haya Jackson."

The woman looked up and smiled at her, "Of course, sweetie." She handed her a folder of papers, smiling brightly. "You're just so pretty. I'm sure all the boys will be following you around now." She cleared her throat, gently tapping the folder. "Your schedule is in here, a map of the school and the paper you need all the teachers to sign. Bring that to me before you leave today. Any questions?"

Haya smiled politely at the woman, fighting the urge to run. "I'm good, Thank you, ma'am." She turned and looked at her schedule, finding her first period. She began walking down the hallway, finding the room quickly enough. She had hoped she was early enough to be the only one there. She was wrong. There were two students in the class and the teacher.

Those two students made her pause. Something was off about them, something that made her focus on them. That's when she realized they were vampires, though their eyes were gold and not red. They weren't wearing contacts, either. How were two female vampires going to school, surrounded by humans? How did they fit in?

The first vampire had short black hair and honey eyes. Her skin was very pale, which was expected. She was beautiful, especially in the outfit she wore. It made Haya want to start dressing up again, but she needed to blend in, not stand out.

The girl beside her was beautiful too, just a different kind. She had blonde hair, similar honey eyes. She was just as pale but was much taller than the other girl. She was dressed just as nice as her friend.

The two girls were staring at her. The black-haired girl looked curious and energetic. The blonde glanced her over before looking back at her friend, looking annoyed.

The teacher looked up at her, surprised another student was there early. He smiled as he stood up, shaking her hand. "Hello, you must be Ms. Jackson."

Haya smiled lightly at him, "Yes, that's me." She handed over the right paper to him, pushing her hair back behind her ear.

Mr. Allen handed the paper back once he signed it, "Here you go. I'm Mr. Allen, welcome to AP Lit." He handed her a syllabus, highlighting what they have left to go over in class. "If you need help catching up just let me know."

Haya looked down at the paper, shaking her head. "I've read almost all of these before, I should be good. Thank you though."

Mr. Allen nodded, "You're welcome. You can sit beside Alice. She can help you if you need it as well." He sat down before smiling at her. "I won't make you talk in front of the whole class."

Haya sat down, letting out a loud sigh. "Thank you." She got out her notebook, opening it to the first page and writing down what stories she did need to read. Her luck was just great, really. She gets sent to this small town on the other side of the country. To a high school that just happens to have vampires there.

"Hello."

Haya jumped as she looked at Alice, smiling nervously. "Uh… Hi?"

Alice grinned at her happily. "I'm Alice Cullen, it's nice to meet you?"

"Haya."

Alice nodded softly, "Haya… I like that name."

Haya smirked to herself, at least Alice did. She loved her real name, this nickname that became her current name was so simple. It was boring. Unlike her. Was unlike her. She had to be different from herself. She had to be anyone but Hekate Jackson from New York.

Haya sighed softly as she finished writing her list. She glanced over to see Alice still smiling brightly at her. "Sorry, did I ignore you?" She had a habit of doing that recently. She was terrified of someone realizing who she was, realizing she was being fake. She was terrified of slipping up and saying something wrong. So, she tended to be silent. She tried to ignore people and be ignored in return. She had a feeling that wouldn't really work with this Alice, however. How was she able to be so close to her, in her face and seeming so happy?

Alice laughed softly, "It's alright. I asked where you're from."

Haya smiled at her softly, "I'm from Ohio."

Haya Jackson's cover story was relatively simple. Her parents died when she was little, she didn't remember them. Her uncle adopted her, Lincoln posing as her uncle. Lincoln moved to Forks for his new job as a police officer.

Alice tilted her head, "Oh really? That's on the other side of the country."

Haya shrugged as she noticed the rest of the students filing in the room. "My uncle and I move around a lot. I'm used to it." She was glad Alice had to be quiet when the teacher began talking. Haya ignored the looks she got from everyone, keeping her head focused at the board. It wouldn't be good to let anyone get too close to her. She didn't want to make friends and then have to leave in a split second. She was also afraid to mess up in front of anyone.

{X}

Haya managed to keep to herself until lunch. She was in line, picking out what she wanted, when a girl came up next to her. Haya looked over at her when she noticed they were trying to get her attention.

The girl smiled slightly at her, looking extremely awkward. "Hi, my name's Bella Swan."

Haya remembered Chief Swan. He was really nice but didn't seem comfortable around her. He didn't really know what to say to her, which she didn't mind. This was his daughter, she remembered Charlie talking about her. "Uh… hi." She picked up two slices of pizza, placing it on her plate. She moved down to get a water, Bella following her with her own tray. "I'm Haya Jackson, I'm sure you've heard. This is a really small town."

Bella laughed softly, "Yeah… My first day was much worse. Everyone knew I was coming and wouldn't leave me alone."

Haya crossed to the salad bar, fixing a salad while she talked. "That sounds horrible. I'm just glad no one's been bothering me."

Bella tilted her head, "You don't want to talk to anyone?"

Haya shrugged as she held her tray, turning to face Bella. "I just don't want to go through the get-to-know-you conversations. I can only repeat it so many times."

Bella smiled softly, "Well, do you want to eat with me today? I usually sit with my boyfriend and his family, but we can sit somewhere else."

Haya debated before nodding, "Yeah… I appreciate it. I wasn't looking forward to eating alone."

Bella smiled, "You're welcome. I'm going to talk to my boyfriend and I'll be over."

Haya nodded, spotting an empty table at the back of the cafeteria. She sat down, sighing as she sipped at her water. She looked up when she saw Bella standing by a group of people. Alice and Rosalie were sitting there, Alice staring at her until she was caught. Alice was sitting next to a guy with blonde hair. He was sitting stiffly beside her, gently holding her hand. The guy next to him was talking to Bella, smiling up at her. He had black hair and was pale like his family.

Haya then glanced over to see the last person at the table staring at her like Alice was. He was tall, very tall. He was so muscular he could be a lumberjack. He had black hair, honey-like eyes and was pale.

And they were all vampires. How the hell were they in a high school? Alice's boyfriend seemed to be struggling but the others seemed alright. What the hell? She didn't hate vampires, who was she to judge? But she knew being around humans was torture to vampires…

Haya looked up to see Edward staring right at her, looking confused and concerned. Haya looked down at her plate, starting to eat her pizza. That was until Bella sat down across from her. "Your boyfriend has a large family."

Bella nodded softly as she began eating her pizza. "Yeah… They're adopted. Esme and Carlisle couldn't have children so they adopted them all. They're a nice family."

Haya watched as Alice curled up against her boyfriend's side, smiling up at him. "And some of them are dating? That's nice."

Bella smiled, glad that Haya wasn't like the others at their school. "Alice and Jasper are together. Rosalie is Jasper's sister and she's dating Emmett."

Haya nodded softly, "Alice and Jasper are cute together."

Bella smiled, knowing they could hear them all talking. Especially since Edward something was strange about Haya. "They are."

Haya smiled softly as she looked down at her tray, picking at her salad now. They reminded her of her parents when she was young. They were so in love before, they were happy once. That seemed like a different life now, which it was in a sense…

Haya cleared her throat, "I'm going to head to the library and check on some of these books. I'll see you later?"

Bella nodded softly, standing up with her. "Alright, see you later, Haya."

Haya quickly left, feeling the vampires staring at her, shivering. She did head to the library, getting the books she hadn't read before. She had just checked them out when she saw Jasper walking into the library. Haya went to walk past him, slipping her books in her bag.

Jasper stepped in front of her, gently holding one hand out to stop her. "Haya, right? I'm Jasper Hale."

Haya sighed softly before smiling at him, feeling calm now. "Right. Nice to meet you, Jasper."

Jasper smiled at her, "Nice to meet you, too, ma'am." He gently held out his arm to her, "We have history together. Alice looked at your schedule."

Haya laughed slightly, "Of course she did…" She made sure her gloves were on securely before looping her arm with his, walking into the hallway with him.

Jasper looked down at her, curious. He had felt how wary she had been all day; how sad she was for a few seconds at lunch. She was afraid of him at first but relaxed before he used his powers. Edward had been able to read her mind briefly, getting that she knew what they were. Alice liked her, a lot, even though she couldn't get a solid read on her. That was enough for him, and Alice said Haya was alone. He was curious as to why her scent didn't bother him. Most humans made his throat burn, hers didn't. Sure, her blood called to him but he didn't feel like he would lose it around her. He felt intimidated by her, even though he saw no reason as to why he should be.

Jasper held the door open for her, smiling softly. "You can sit with me, no one sits there."

Haya smiled at him as thanks, moving to talk to the professor. She glanced over at Jasper while the teacher signed her slip, thinking.

How were these vampires so nice? How could they be around her? It was confusing.

{X}

Carlisle looked at his son, frowning softly. "She knew we were vampires, already?"

Edward nodding, rubbing his head. "Yes… She knew when she saw Alice and Rosalie in her first period… I couldn't fully read her mind, she wasn't pushing me out. Her mind was dark, foggy. It hurt me to try and read her mind."

Esme rubbed his shoulder, looking concerned. "Are you alright, Edward?"

Edward rubbed Esme's hand, nodding. "I'm fine. I just don't understand why."

Jasper looked down at Alice, squeezing her hand gently. "She was a little afraid of me at first but relaxed without me even using my powers. I didn't want to attack her either, even with her standing close to me."

Rosalie leaned back against the couch, crossing her legs. "She has a certain smell to her. Like a cemetery."

Esme raised her eyebrows at all of this information, "She's human… maybe just gifted?"

Emmett motions towards his mom, "What kind of gift would she have if she smells like a graveyard?"

Everyone was silent at the question, thinking about it. They were all coming to the same answer.

A gift dealing with death.


	3. Chapter 3

_**DarkAngel2581** , **Angel897** and **DarkHunter11** : Thank you so much! I hope you like this chapter. _

* * *

Haya was eating breakfast across from Lincoln, pouring more syrup onto her pancakes. "You have to leave?"

Lincoln nodded softly, shoving another piece of pancake into his mouth, "Yeah. I'm sorry, Haya. They caught another gang member and they're gonna try and use him to get to the rest. I need to be there. I'll be back as soon as possible. Until then, Charlie said you can stay at his house. You're friends with Bella, right?"

Over the past month of living in Forks, Bella and Haya had gotten close. Bella, Alice and Jasper were her only friends there. The rest of the Cullen children were nice but didn't really care about her too much. Bella and Haya had hung out on the past two weekends, when Bella wasn't busy with Edward of course. So, Haya didn't mind staying at Charlie's, she just didn't like Lincoln being far away.

Haya had taken a lot of self-defense classes, before she left NYC and after. She had a gun in her car, guns in their home. She carried pepper spray everywhere. She knew how to handle herself but still. Lincoln gave her a sense of security. He was also the only one she could be herself around, somewhat.

"Yeah, we're friends… I just don't like you leaving."

Lincoln smiled sadly at the girl. "I know, Haya… But you're going to be with the chief of police. You're gonna keep your gun on you. You're gonna be okay. Besides, you could use some girl time. It's just been us for a long time."

Haya sighed, Bella was not a girl who did 'girl time', but Lincoln was trying. "Yeah…. Girl time."

Lincoln got up, patting her shoulder. "You'll be okay, Haya." He rubbed her shoulder before heading out, waving as he did. "I'll call you when I land."

Haya deflated a little when the door shut behind him, sighing. "Okay…" She put the dishes away before heading over to the Swan residence. She was already dressed that morning. She was wearing some dark jeans with some rips in the knees. She had on a black shirt with a red flannel cardigan on.

Charlie opened the door and smiled when he saw her, "Hey, He-" He cleared his throat, "Haya. Bella's in her room. Do you want me to take your bag?"

Haya shook her head; the duffel bag didn't bother her. She was pretty strong. "I'm okay. Thanks, Mr. Swan."

Charlie shook his head, ushering her inside. "It's just Charlie, Haya. Make yourself at home. I'll be in the living room if you need me." She could see the beer on the table, a game on the T.V.

Haya smiled softly, "Okay, thank you." She walked upstairs, knocking on Bella's door as she walked through the doorway.

Bella was on her bed, working on some homework when Haya walked in. She smiled up at her, "Hey." She motioned to the corner of her room where an extra mattress was set.

Haya sat her bags down before sitting beside Bella, "Sorry to barge in on you guys."

Bella shook her head, "It's okay. I wouldn't want to be all alone in a strange town, either. I don't mind, either. You're my best friend, Haya."

Haya felt touched, smiling brightly at her friend. "You're my best friend too, Bella." It hurt her a little to think about Mariana, but Mariana would want her to be happy. She then laid back on the bed, looking up at the ceiling. "So, any plans for today?"

Bella looked over, looking worried. "Uh… I was gonna go over to my boyfriend's for dinner. I can ask if you can come." She paused as she got a text from Alice, shaking her head. "Nevermind. Alice texted me back, telling me you can come when you come over."

Haya raised an eyebrow before smiling, "That's nice. I'd like to meet Dr. Cullen and Esme. They seem really nice." She'd also like to figure out how they were so different. She then grinned at her, "I can drive so we don't die on the way there."

Bella scoffed at her, "My truck is fine, thank you."

Haya laughed as she leaned over, helping Bella with her homework. "If you say so, Bella, if you say so."

{X}

Charlie looked between the two of them, sighing. "Be careful you two, look after each other." He then looked at Haya, "Keep an eye on that Edward for me?"

Haya laughed, "Yes, sir."

Charlie smirked a little at her, "Alright. You better get going."

Haya smiled and walked out to her car, letting Bella give directions while she drove. "Do you visit the Cullens a lot?"

Bella nodded as she pointed out a turn to take, "Yeah. Pretty much every day."

Haya nodded as she turned down the driveway Bella pointed to. "That must be nice, being able to spend so much time with your boyfriend."

Bella nodded, looking a little distant at that. She looked like she was relieving some memories.

Haya pulled up to the house, parking off to the side. She got out, looking up at it in awe. "Their home is gorgeous."

Bella smirked at her, walking to the door. "Wait till you see the inside."

Haya followed her before jumping as a man opened the door. He was tall, had light blonde hair and honey eyes like the others. He had on a silk shirt, dress pants and dress shoes. He smiled at her, holding out his hand. "Hello, I'm Carlisle. It's nice to meet you, Haya. Bella and my children have told me a lot about you."

Haya smiled as she shook his hand, not flinching at how cold his skin was. "It's nice to meet you too, I can say the same." She walked inside with him and felt a little out of place. Just the parts she could see were gorgeous. "Your home is beautiful."

Carlisle smiled at her, leading her further into the home. "Ah, that would be my wife's doing. She loves restoring old houses and decorating them." He met a woman in the doorway to the kitchen, kissing her cheek. She smiled brightly up at him, lighting up when she saw him. "This is my wife, Esme. Esme, this is Haya Jackson."

Esme smiled brightly at Haya, "Hello dear, it's nice to meet you."

Haya smiled at her, "It's nice to meet you too, ma'am." She heard Jasper laugh from somewhere in the house, shaking her head. They were both polite and Alice teased them both about it a lot.

Esme smiled, gently leading Haya into the kitchen, "I hope you're hungry. We made salad, breadsticks and pizza."

Bella sat at the island happily, "Esme's is a great cook."

Esme smiled happily at Bella, "Thank you, dear." She then motioned for Haya to sit, "Please, dear, enjoy. We already ate so eat as much as you like."

Haya and Bella managed to eat most of everything, it all tasting fantastic. Haya went over to the couch where Alice and Jasper were, sitting in-between the two. Alice had been reading a fashion magazine, Jasper reading a new book he found.

Alice put down her magazine and smirked at Haya, "Do you want a makeover?"

Haya raised her eyebrows at her, quickly looking to Jasper. "Jasper?"

Jasper laughed, pulling Haya closer to him and away from his mate, "She wants to play a game with Emmett and I."

Alice pouted at them, "You're not leaving before I can give you a mani and pedi." She then turned to see Bella trying to sneak to Edward's room. "You're first!"

Bella squeaked as Alice dragged her to her room, shooting the others a pleading look before she disappeared, "Alice, wait!"

Haya dramatically fell on Jasper, placing her arm over her head like in the old movies. "Oh, thank you sir, you saved my life."

Jasper snorted, gently pushing Haya onto the couch. "She's gonna get you anyways."

Emmett smirked, "Now, let's kick Jasper's butt."

Haya laughed as she took a controller, smirking at Emmett. "Or yours."

Emmett huffed at her, "Rude, missy, rude."

{X}

Esme leaned against the wall, holding her husband's hand. "She does smell weird… It's not bad, I kind of like the smell… But she just seems…"

Carlisle nodded, kissing her hand. "Different. She must have a strong gift if it's affecting her this much as a human…" He sighed softly, "We're gonna have to talk to her before she leaves."

Esme looked up at her, "We're not going to tell anyone, right, Carlisle? If the Volturi find out that she knows…"

Carlisle nodded, looking grim. "I know dear… We won't say anything, we didn't tell her our secret anyways. She knew when she saw our daughters."

{X}

Haya smiled as she walked down the stairs, looking at the black French tips Alice gave her. Her toes were painted all black to match. "I hope I don't mess them up before Monday."

Alice smiled at her, "You won't." She then sighed when she saw her family gathered at the bottom of the stairs, Bella included. "Haya, wait a minute, please."

Haya turned to see everyone in the living room, watching her. She sighed softly, slumping her shoulders. "Talk?"

Edward nodded his head, "We want to know how you figured us out upon seeing Alice and Rosalie."

Haya looked everyone over, biting at her lip. "That's a long story…" She shifted her weight, hugging her arm, feeling nervous about this now. She was in a room surrounded by vampires, unusual vampires but vampires nonetheless.

Jasper moved to stand beside her, placing his hand on the small of her back. "It's okay, Haya. We're not going to hurt you or do anything to you. We're just curious." He used his powers to calm her a little, making her feel safe.

Esme nodded, placing her hands in her lap. "Of course not, dear."

Haven looked back at Jasper before looking back at the others, "Part of my gift is recognizing and seeing the supernatural… When I saw Alice and Rosalie I just knew they were vampires…" She then frowned, "Though you're all very different from what I thought… Your eyes aren't red, and you're always around humans. How?"

Carlisle motioned to her, "I never felt comfortable with drinking human blood so I searched for an alternative. We can sustain ourselves on the blood of animals. We're weaker than other vampires, but we can live like this. It's harder because it never really satisfies us, but it's better than the alternative. It allows us to blend into society, to live among humans."

Haya tilted her head, "Which is why you have golden eyes?"

Carlisle nodded, "Exactly."

Haya relaxed a little, dropping her arm. "Well that makes me feel better…" She smiled at Bella, "I was worried for you but I didn't know if you knew…"

Bella smiled slightly at her friend, "It took a lot of research on my part to figure it out."

Alice tilted her head, "Your gift also hinders my gift and Edward's. Although, Jasper can use his like normal."

Haya turned to Jasper, raising an eyebrow at him. "Which is?"

Jasper smiled down at her, "I'm an empath. I can feel and influence emotions. I've only used it to help you calm down at times."

Haya smiled at him, "That's really sweet of you, Jasper…" She then turned to the others, "What about you two?"

Esme smiled, "Alice can see visions when people make a decision. Edward can read minds."

Haya crossed her arms, "So you can't see me in your visions or read my mind?"

Alice shook her head, "No, I can. But it's fuzzy. Those visions usually give me a headache. I have to focus to get one for you."

Edward looked at her, looking confused. "I get a headache when trying to read yours as well. I usually only get a word or two. I can read your mind when you're really emotional. It's like there's a veil over you."

Haya sat down on a loveseat, Jasper sitting beside her. "That makes sense…" She looked up at all of them, biting her lip. "Please… Don't think differently of me."

Jasper held her hand, rubbing it gently. He was having a little trouble being around her now but he was okay. She needed a friend by her side. "Go ahead, Haya. We won't. We've all done things in our past we're not proud of."

Haya looked down at her hand, at the gloves on each hand. "I can kill someone by touching them…" She saw Jasper clench his other hand, his body tensing. The others tensed as well, though Alice was staring at their joined hands, worried. "It's only happened twice in my life… I killed a dog when I was little, it attacked me…"

Haya then closed her eyes, laying her head back on the loveseat. "I killed my father when I was around ten. He had been abusive for a while. He attacked my mom one night… He told me to go to my room, trying to drag me when I wouldn't move. I tried to shove his arm off… That touch killed my dad… The coroner said it was a heart attack, I didn't believe them. I knew."

Haya looked up at them, twisting her hands. "I was placed into the witness protection program after watching my best friend and her brother die, Martin had gotten involved with a dangerous gang. I'm to witness when the case goes to court. The important thing is, my real name is Hekate. My mom somehow got interested in mythology when she was pregnant. Since I was born on Halloween, she named me Hekate. The universe loves to fuck with me, so now I have her powers. I can kill people with a touch. I can see the dead, ghosts, demons and more. I can sense the paranormal…"

There was silence for a long while, the others in the room taking in all the information.

Esme was the first to move. She pulled Haya up and into a tight hug, "Oh, darling, I'm so sorry. You've lived such a hard life." She rubbed her back as she hugged her, "That must have been so hard to tell us, especially with your life in danger since you revealed your secret."

Emmett growled lowly, "Do you want me to track those guys down and take care of 'em?"

Rose patted Emmett's arm, "I'll help."

Carlisle patted Haya's shoulder, looking down at her. "We'd never tell your secret, Hekate. We'll keep you safe."

Haya smiled up at them, tears in her eyes. "Can you call me that, again?"

Jasper smiled, coming up beside her and squeezing her hand to show he wasn't afraid. They weren't afraid of her, they weren't mad at her and they were going to keep her safe too. "Hekate is a beautiful name, ma'am."

Haya grinned at him, "Thank you… It means a lot… I've kind of been losing myself into being Haya…"

Alice come up to her, gently smoothing her hair down. "You don't have to hide from us, Hekate. We're not hiding from you anymore."

Bella nodded, hugging Haya tightly. "My dad and I are close by. You're going to be okay."

Haya hugged her friend back, relaxing into her embrace. "Thank you… Really."


	4. Chapter 4

_So we're hitting New Moon! This is one of my favorite movies / books. However, we won't spend much time on it at all. This isn't a Bella-centric fic except for the beginning. So it's mostly going to be the beginning and ending of New Moon._

* * *

 **Mep101:** Thank you! I hope you continue to love it.

 **RoseRain1998:** Thank you! That won't be until chapter 7 if I'm thinking correctly. I hope you'll like it and the chapters until then!

 **Adby1:** Thank you!

 **Angel897:** Thank you! I was glad to get that out of the way as well. Now she can really relax around the Cullens.

 **SilverDeaf1977:** Thank you so much!

 **DarkHunter11:** Aww, thank you! I hope you'll like them together when we get there.

 **DarkAngel2581:** I hope you like this update then.

* * *

Hekate was laying on Alice and Jasper's bed, something they had just for show or when Haya slept over. They were really close friends now, especially since Jasper felt at ease around her which was very rare. She slept over a lot since Lincoln was busy with the case, tracking down some of the gang members and the leader. He felt safe leaving her alone since she had Charlie and the Cullen family looking out for her.

Jasper was helping Hekate on her history project, having re-furbished one he wrote at another school. Hekate was laying on the bed, reading over one of Jasper's books for some quotes to put in the paper. Alice had left a while before saying she was gonna wait on her package, too excited to wait in the room with them.

Bella had left with Edward on a date somewhere. Esme and Carlisle were on a date as well. Emmett and Rosalie were doing something on their own, she hadn't seen them that evening. Jasper had made her dinner, actually not burning anything. He made homemade pizza, New York style just for her.

Hekate jumped as Alice barged into the room, carrying multiple garment bags in her arms, "They came! Now, try this on!" Alice tossed one of the bags on the bed, placing the others in her large walk-in closet that was more like another room.

Jasper looked at Hekate's wary expression and chuckled, "Might as well go along."

Alice snapped her fingers at her friend, "Come on, missy, we might have all day but you sure don't."

Hekate rolled her eyes before trudging into Alice's extravagant bathroom. She opened the bag and gasped, "Alice, what the fuck."

Alice laughed while Jasper just chuckled at her foul language. "Don't tell me you forgot? Prom is this month!"

Hekate frowned as she picked up the gorgeous dress, looking it over. She loved it, really, really loved it. It was a hi-low black gown. The main part of the dress was black silk, the opposite layer that showed since it was a hi-low was a red rose pattern. "Alice… I don't even have a date."

"You're an independent woman, Hekate. You don't need a date," Alice said softly, "Besides, you don't like anyone here. Why ruin your night with some loser?"

The Cullens had taken to calling her Hekate while they were home, none of them uttering the name once they left the house. They were serious about keeping her secret. They also knew how hard this situation was for Hekate, wanting to make her feel more comfortable in any way they could. They quickly became close with her in their own ways because of this.

"You'll go with us, Hekate. What guy wouldn't want two beautiful women to go to prom with?"

Hekate slipped into the dress as they talked, only slightly surprised at how well it fit. "Wouldn't that ruin the night for you guys? It's your prom too. Besides, people will think we're all three together."

Jasper chuckled, "People already think that. They're just stupid people who don't matter. Ignore them. We know you're our best friend and we're here for you. Besides, darlin', we've been to a lot of proms. You're not ruining anything, we want you to go with us."

Hekate opened the door, turning around for Alice to zip up the dress. "Well… Then I guess we're going to prom." She turned around, tilting her head at the two of them. "Do I look good?"

Alice grinned at her, her eyes sparkling. "You look beautiful!"

Jasper chuckled, "I'll have to keep the guys away. You do look beautiful, Hekate."

Hekate sniffled softly before hugging them both, smiling happily. "I love you guys."

Alice cooed softly, kissing Hekate's cheek. "I love you too."

Jasper smiled at her, gently rubbing her shoulder. "I love you too, Hekate." He then kissed Alice's cheek before heading downstairs, "I'll leave you two alone to talk… about this stuff."

Alice giggled as she spun Hekate around, "It fits perfectly! I'm so happy." She then sat Hekate down on the bed, touching her lower thigh. "Now, what made you get these?"

Hekate had large thigh pieces on each leg that complemented each other. They started at the junction between her hip and leg, moving down almost to her knees. The one on her right was full of flowers, all black and gray. On her left thigh, she had a skull with a snake slithering down her leg, also in grayscale. They complemented each other well, Hekate loved them.

The snake was one of the animals sacred to the goddess Hekate. To this Hekate, the snake represented how something so beautiful could be so dangerous. The skull represented her tie to death, the flowers meaning she could see the beauty in life thanks to seeing so much death. They were a true representation of her. Her mother just thought they were gorgeous pieces, she didn't know the meaning behind them.

Now, Alice was the only person who did. Jasper too, since he could hear everything she said which she didn't mind.

Alice looked up at Hekate, smiling softly. "They're gorgeous and I love them. They look so good with your dress, too!" She ran into her room before appearing next to Hekate. She placed some black wedges on her feet, smirking. "Perfect."

Hekate grinned as she looked at herself in Alice's floor length mirror. "Thank you, Alice, really, I love it."

Alice smiled at her, glad to see Hekate was happy again. She was a shell of a person when she first arrived in Forks. She was glad her family was changing her. She deserved to be happy.

{X}

Hekate walked down the stairs of the Cullen home, Alice already at the bottom with Jasper. Esme, Carlisle, Rosalie and Emmett were there as well. Edward had already left to pick up Bella.

Alice was in a dark blue dress with layers that flared out a little. Jasper was in a black suit with a matching tie.

Rosalie was in a floor length black dress with a slit in the side. Emmett was in a black suit with a smokey gray tie.

Hekate was in her black gown, her hair curled around her shoulders thanks to Alice. She also had on some smokey eyeshadow and red lipstick.

Esme grinned as all the children gathered together for a picture, "You all look so beautiful and handsome, my gosh."

Carlisle smiled, "You all look very nice, have fun tonight."

Hekate smiled at them as she followed Jasper to Alice's car since they couldn't take Jasper's motorcycle. Hekate got in the back, Jasper driving to the high school.

Alice kissed Jasper's cheek while he drove, holding his right hand. "You look so handsome tonight, Jasper."

Jasper smiled at her, "You look beautiful, darlin'." He then looked back at Hekate and smiled brightly at her, "You look beautiful as well, Hekate."

Hekate smiled at them, "We're drop dead gorgeous?"

Jasper snorted at her bad joke while Alice laughed loudly, shaking her head at their friend.

{X}

Haya loved her prom night. Everyone had stared at them weirdly at how close they were, starting more rumors. None of them cared, however. They all danced together and went with Hekate so she could rest and eat. They danced outside as it got dark, the decorations making it look beautiful. They went to project prom, playing games all night long until early the next morning. Jasper won a huge stuffed snake for Hekate, smirking while he gave it to her. Alice had won every game she played, giving Hekate all the stuff she won. The other people were all jealous of them but didn't say anything when Jasper glared at them. Haya had so much fun that she passed out at the Cullen's house, Jasper having to carry her inside.

{X}

Hekate's world was changed again, however, on September 13th of that year. Bella's birthday. She just wouldn't realize it for a while. She also couldn't have known that would kickstart a major change in her life in a few months' time.

The day started off normal. Hekate got ready for school, dreading it since it was a Monday. She left Bella's present in her room since Bella didn't want anyone at school to know. She was being weird about her birthday, hating that she was 'aging'.

Hekate drove to school, walked to class with Rosalie since Alice had left to talk to Bella. Alice made it to class just in time, sitting down with a bright smile at her friends. She told them they were gonna throw Bella a birthday party that night at the Cullen residence. Hekate said she would stop by her house to change and then be over.

Hekate had changed into a black, knee length dress. She put on some black flats that had roses on them. She had curled her hair a little, letting it fall on her shoulders. She grabbed the gift bag for Bella, getting in her car and heading to the Cullens. She laughed as she pulled up by the garage, shaking her head. Emmett and Jasper were hanging Japanese lanterns along the driveway and outside of the house. Hekate got out and walked over to them, "I would offer my help but I would just get in the way."

Emmett grinned at her, winking. "Thanks for the offer, kiddo."

Jasper smiled at her, putting up another lantern. "Esme is working on decorating the cake. You can help her and Carlisle. Rosalie and Alice are decorating, I wouldn't suggest asking them if you could help."

Emmett chuckled, "You'll get roped in. Run while you still can."

Jasper and Emmett laughed when they heard Alice yell at them, Rosalie laughing in the background. They shook their heads and went back to work, whispering to Hekate. "Run."

Hekate snorted softly before walking inside, heading straight for the kitchen. The house was already looking gorgeous with the girls help and they weren't even done. Carlisle was mixing the icing together, having all the tools already laid out. Esme was just pulling the cake out of the refrigerator. "Do you need any help?"

Esme smiled brightly at her, "Sure, Hekate." She sat the cake down on the table, "Frost this? Then Carlisle can do the decorating."

Carlisle smiled, handing everything over to her. "I'll check on the other snack food for you two."

Hekate happily began icing the cake, watching the couple move fluidly together in the kitchen. Esme had some soft classical music playing in the background, it was soothing and relaxing.

After Hekate finished icing, Carlisle decorated the cake with more frosting. Esme made the punch, letting Hekate help her with that. Not long after that everything was done, they were just waiting on Bella to show up.

Hekate passed the time away watching tv with Emmett and Jasper. Alice and Rosalie were talking to themselves in a corner of the room, looking over some magazines. Esme and Carlisle were somewhere by themselves.

Emmett paused the tv when he heard a car turning down the driveway, hearing Bella and Edward talking. "They're here."

Hekate got up, stretching out a little. "Finally."

Jasper chuckled softly, "She isn't very happy about this."

Hekate shrugged, "She can suck it up. Birthdays are to celebrate with friends and family. We're glad she's in our lives and that's why we're throwing a party." She then looked away, looking like she was in pain. "Mariana and I always threw surprise parties for each other…"

Jasper held her hand, squeezing gently while using his powers to cheer her up. "She would be happy you're doing this for Bella."

Hekate smiled at him, "Thanks, Jasper."

Jasper nodded at her, "You're welcome, Hekate."

They all looked up when Edward and Bella entered the living room, grinning at her. Well, most of them. Rosalie had a blank expression on her face. Everyone but Rosalie greeted Bella with cheers of happy birthday. Alice had covered the room in pink candles, crystal bowls with roses and beautiful lights. They moved a table into the room, covering it with a white cloth draped over it. On the table, they placed a pink birthday cake, roses, plates, punch, snacks and the gift pile.

Hekate laughed a little at Bella's distressed expression, glancing at Alice to see her grinning brightly.

Esme hugged Bella, kissing her forehead. "Happy birthday, Bella."

Carlisle gently wrapped an arm around Bella, fake whispering to her, "Sorry about this, Bella. We couldn't rein Alice in."

Hekate chuckled with Jasper, shaking their heads while Alice glared at them.

Emmett and Rosalie were the next closer to her, Emmett grinning brightly at her. "Happy birthday, Bella." He laughed at Bella's sour expression, "I have to step out for a second." He winked at Bella before leaving.

Alice left Jasper's side, moving forward to hug Bella. Jasper stayed beside Hekate, breathing in her scent to try and block out Bella's. Alice then gently moved Bella towards the table, "Time to open presents."

Bella frowned at Alice, "I know I told you I didn't want anything."

Alice smirked at her, "We didn't listen." She handed the gift bag to her, "Open it."

Bella saw Haya's name on the tag in case someone else saw it. "Hekate…"

Hekate grinned at her, "Suck it up, buttercup."

Bella rolled her eyes before pulling the contents out. Inside was a set of books Bella had been wanting, some book scented candles and a new throw blanket that was incredibly soft. Bella smiled up at Hekate, "This is really great, thank you."

Hekate nodded at her, "You're welcome, Bella."

Alice then handed Bella a silver box. Bella picked it up, tilting her head because it felt empty. She read the tag to see it was from Emmett, Rosalie and Jasper. Bella tore the paper off, even more confused at all the numbers on the box. She opened that box to find it really was empty, "Uh… thanks?"

Rosalie cracked a smile at that while Jasper laughed. He pointed to the box, smiling at her. "It's a new stereo for your truck. Emmett's installing it right now so that you can't return it."

Rosalie nodded, "Or have someone install it incorrectly."

Bella smiled a little, "Thanks Jasper, Rosalie." She then called out louder, though she didn't need to, "Thanks Emmett!" Emmett's laughter could be heard even to the humans from where he was.

Alice grinned at her, handing over a small, flat, square present. "Open mine and Edward's next!"

Bella quickly glared at her boyfriend, "You promised."

Emmett barreled inside the door, grinning. "Just in time!" He moved over behind Jasper and Hekate, watching the birthday girl happily.

Edward gently rubbed Bella's back, "I didn't spend a dime."

Bella sighed before she went to rip the paper off, "Technicalities…" She winced as the paper cut her finger. She pulled it back to look, seeing the blood well up from the cut. "Shoot."

Edward shouted, loudly, "No!"

Hekate felt Jasper move beside her, gasping as Emmett quickly moved her out of the way. Jasper lunged for Bella while Edward shoved Bella behind him. Bella ended up crashing into the table and the newly created pile of shattered glass, cutting her arm. Edward then blocked Jasper, struggling to keep him back. Emmett quickly grabbed Jasper in his arms, squeezing to try and keep him still.

Hekate gasped as she saw the blood oozing from Bella's arm now, making it even worse. "Oh shit, Edward…" Why did he have to throw her back? Why couldn't he have let Esme or Carlisle grab her? She sighed when Edward glanced at her, wincing. "Sorry…" It didn't matter now, it was over.

Emmett and Rosalie quickly dragged Jasper outside, far enough out so he could calm down without Bella's blood affecting him. Alice looked in pain as she fought the blood lust, "I'm sorry, Bella..." She quickly ran off after her family, not able to stand the blood.

Esme winced at her, "I'm sorry, dear…" She couldn't handle it as well either, leaving with her family.

Edward was still in a crouched position in front of Bella, until Carlisle stood beside him, "Let me by, Edward."

Edward stared at him before standing up and moving out of the way, watching them with a pained expression.

Carlisle examined her arm, gently turning it over to look at it. "There's too much glass in the wound…" He ripped a strip from the tablecloth, using it to make a tourniquet. He looked up, noticing Bella's expression. "Bella, do you want me to drive you to the hospital or take care of it here?"

Bella shook her head, "Here, please…"

Hekate followed the two men as they carried her to the kitchen table, watching worriedly.

Carlisle kept pressure as they moved, "How are you doing, Bella?"

Bella sounded a bit better, "I'm fine."

Carlisle turned to Edward once Bella was sat down, "Get my bag."

Edward grimaced before disappearing. He was back in maybe three seconds, laying the bag down. Carlisle immediately got to work, leaning on the counter.

Bella sighed softly as she watched Edward, "Just go, Edward."

Edward clenched his jaw, "I can handle it."

"You don't need to be a hero. Carlisle can fix me up without your help. Hekate's here if he needs anything. Get some fresh air." Bella then winced as Carlisle did something that stung.

Hekate looked over at Edward, "You could be more help talking to Jasper… He probably feels awful right now…" She felt bad, wanting to do it herself. She knew though that wouldn't help Jasper. He said he could handle being around her normally, but he had just been assaulted by everyone's blood lust, including his own. He wasn't ready to be around her.

Carlisle nodded, "Hekate's right. I doubt he'll listen to anyone but you right now. Hekate can't help him now. Alice might be helping but he needs you."

Bella nodded, "Yes. Go find Jasper."

Edward narrowed his eyes before sighing softly, "Okay." He turned and ran out of the house, following his brother's scent.

Hekate then moved beside Carlisle, watching what he was doing curiously. She did want to be a nurse, this was interesting to her. She just wished her friend wasn't hurt.

Bella tried to ignore her usual squeamishness, making a joke. "Well, I can clear a room."

Hekate chuckled softly, "Well, you did leave quite a stench."

Bella rolled her eyes at Hekate making it into a bad pun. "Ha, ha."

Carlisle chuckled, "It's not your fault. It could happen to anyone."

Bella nodded, "It could. But it usually happens to me."

Hekate shrugged, "You do trip on air."

Bella laughed, "Hey, who's side are you on?"

Hekate grinned. "Yours, clumsy." She then watched as the glass shards were pulled out, making an ooo sound causing Bella to wince. "Sorry. I like trauma."

Bella snorted, "Of course you do, Hekate."

Hekate shrugged her shoulders, "Sue me." She then happily cleaned the wound with some water when Carlisle asked, patting it dry again.

Bella watched them before watching Carlisle, noticing how calm he was. "How can you do this? Even Esme and Alice left…"

Carlisle didn't look away while he talked, focused on the task at hand. "Years and years of practice. I barely notice the scent anymore."

Bella tilted her head, "Do you think it would be harder if you took a vacation from work for a long time? So you weren't around blood?"

Carlisle shrugged but his hands never moved, "Maybe. I've never felt the need for an extended holiday." He grinned at Bella, letting Hekate flush the wound again. "I enjoy my work too much."

"What is it that you enjoy?"

"What I enjoy the very most is when my enhanced abilities let me save someone who would otherwise have been lost. It's pleasant knowing that, thanks to what I can do, some people's lives are better because I exist. Even the sense of smell is a useful diagnostic at times." His lips pulled up a little at the ends.

Hekate tilted her head, "Can you smell problems in the blood, like infection or cancer?"

Carlisle nodded, "After years of experience, yes. It's also helped me control myself."

Bella looked away when Carlisle was looking in his bag, knowing what was next. "You try very hard to make up for something that was never your fault." She winced again as she felt a new tugging on her skin from the stitches. "It's not like you asked for this. You didn't choose this kind of life, and yet you have to work so hard to be good."

Carlisle glanced up before looking back at her wound, adding another set of stitches. "I don't know that I'm making up for anything. Like everything in life, I just had to decide what to do with what I was given."

"That makes it sound too easy."

Carlisle snapped the last thread, finished with the stitches. "There, all done." He then rubbed a cotton swab over the area with something. He then taped a long piece of gauze on her arm, keeping the wound clean and dry.

"In the beginning, though, why did you even think to try a different way than the obvious one?"

Carlisle smiled at Bella, "Hasn't Edward told you this story?"

"Yes, but I'm trying to understand what you were thinking."

Hekate hopped up on the counter as well, wanting to hear the story for the first time.

Carlisle talked as he began cleaning the area with alcohol. "You know my father was a clergyman. He had a rather harsh view of the world, which I was already beginning to question before the time that I changed." Carlisle then placed all the dirty gauze, bloodied utensils and everything else in a glass bowl. He then lit it all on fire to get rid of any lingering blood.

Carlisle apologized when the sudden flame made Bella jump before continuing his story. "So I didn't agree with my father's particular brand of faith. But never, in the nearly four hundred years nor since I was born, have I ever seen anything to make me doubt whether god exists in some form or the other. Not even the reflection in the mirror."

Bella looked down, looking a little uncomfortable from the topic. Hekate was listening intently, curious as to Carlisle's back story.

"I'm sure all of this sounds a little bizarre, coming from a vampire." He grinned at them, "But I'm hoping that there is still a point to this life, even for us. It's a long shot, I'll admit. By all accounts, we're damned regardless. But I hope, maybe foolishly, that we'll get some measure of credit for trying."

Bella frowned, "I don't think that's foolish."

Hekate gently touched Carlisle's hand, making sure her gloves were on securely. "Carlisle… There's definitely an afterlife. I've seen it multiple times. Ghosts have told me about staying away from the light because they have unfinished business. I know that there are truly awful people in the world who can become demons, but you and your family are not damned. People make mistakes, people change. Carlisle, you're a saint. Don't ever think you and your family are damned to hell."

Carlisle smiled at Hekate, squeezing her hand. "Thank you, my dear. I'll have to think about what you said… It does make sense but it's hard to change your mind about something you've believed for hundreds of years." He looked at both of them, "You're the first two to agree with me, actually."

Bella frowned, "The rest of them don't feel the same?"

Carlisle shook his head. "Edward's with me up to a point. God and heaven exist, so does hell. He just doesn't believe there is an afterlife for our kind." He sighed as he stared out the window, "He thinks we've lost our souls."

Hekate frowned, shaking her head at that. "He's wrong… I know it." She cracked a small smile, "You can't argue with a woman who has the powers of Hekate."

Carlisle and Bella smiled at that. Bella then tilted her head at Carlisle, "That's the real problem, then? That's why Edward's been so difficult about turning me."

Carlisle spoke slowly, "I look at my son, his strengths, his goodness, the brightness that shines out of him, it only fuels that hope, that faith, more than ever. How could there not be more for one such as Edward. But if I believed as he did… Could you take away his soul?" He nodded when Bella pursed her lips, looking pained. "You see the problem."

Bella sighed, looking up. "It's my choice"

Carlisle nodded, "It's his, too." He held up his hand to stop Bella from arguing. "Whether he is responsible for doing that to you."

Bella than looked at Carlisle, raising an eyebrow. "He's not the only one able to do it."

Carlisle laughed, "Oh, no. You're going to have to work this out with him. I'm not getting in this." He then sighed, "That's the one part I can never be sure of. I think, in most other ways, that I've done the best I could with what I had to work with. But was it right to doom the others to this life? I can't decide."

Hekate looked down at her lap, speaking softly. "You didn't turn them but Alice and Jasper never would have found their true mate unless they had been turned. Jasper could have died without ever finding love, he was in the Civil War. Alice was kept in an insane asylum. Rosalie would have died with such anger and pain in her heart. She could have been stuck here on earth as a ghost. Now she has a family, maybe not a biological one, but a family nonetheless. She has her mate, Emmett. They're madly in love and happy together. Edward would have died without you, never finding Bella. You would have never met Esme or saved her life. So, I don't think you doomed anyone Carlisle. You saved them."

Carlisle was wide eyed at the little speech from Hekate, "When did you get so wise my dear?"

Hekate smiled sadly at Carlisle, "I don't know… but please think about what I said. I mean it."

Carlisle smiled softly, "I will… And I've never been sorry that I saved them… I just wish I knew the fate of our souls." He then smiled down at Bella, "I suppose I should take you home now."

Edward slowly walked in at that moment, staring at Hekate a little weirdly. He probably heard her speech. "I'll take Bella home."

Bella saw his face and shook her head, "Carlisle or Hekate can take me." She looked down at her shirt, at the blood stained on it.

Edward shook his head, sounding unemotional when she spoke. "I'm fine. You'll need to change anyway. You'd give Charlie a heart attack with the way you look. I'll have Alice get you something." He then left the kitchen again.

Bella looked up at Carlisle, "He's really upset."

Carlisle nodded, "Yes. Tonight is exactly the kind of thing he fears the most. You being put in danger because of what we are."

Bella frowned, "It's not his fault though, or Jasper's."

Carlisle nodded, "It's not yours, either though." He then helped Bella down, leading the two ladies into the main room.

Esme was mopping the floor where Bella fell, using pure bleach. Hekate moved forward to help but Esme held up her hand. "It's alright, Hekate. I'm already done." She then turned to Bella, smiling, "How do you feel?"

Bella smiled back at her, "I'm fine. Carlisle sews faster than any other doctor I've had." Esme and Carlisle both laughed at that.

Alice then lead Bella from the room, giving her a shirt of Esme's that was similar to the one Bella ruined. Edward stayed in the main room, out of the way, looking pensive.

Hekate then turned to Esme, sighing sadly. "Jasper probably won't be able to talk to me yet, will he?"

Esme glanced at Carlisle, looking a little worried and sad. "I don't know, dear."

Carlisle nodded, "It's been a rough night for him…"

Hekate hugged herself, feeling horrible. "I know… Just tell him I love him and nothing was his fault. Tell him not to blame himself, it wasn't just his bloodlust he felt. He felt everyone's, it was a lot to handle. Bella isn't mad at him so he shouldn't feel so bad…" She then shook her head, all the excitement getting to her. "I'm going to head home then…"

Esme pulled Hekate into a hug, kissing her temple. "Good night, Dear."

Carlisle walked Hekate to her car, smiling softly down at her. "Be careful driving home, Hekate."

Hekate smiled at Carlisle, nodding before driving off. She just didn't realize that would be the last time she saw some of the Cullens, for a long time.


	5. Chapter 5

_Thank you to everyone who reviewed:_ **Silverdeaf1977** , **Angel897** , **Guest** , **Crezir** , **ChelseaXNicoleX** , **DarkAngel2581** _and_ **EarthLover**!

 _Thank you guys so much! I'm re-writing the chapters I do have written because I decided to take a different route through New Moon. You can thank a dear friend for that. ;)_

 _Anyways, this will probably push back the chapter where Bella and Hekate arrive in Volterra. I don't want to rush through this new plot line becaue it's going to be really sweet and important._

* * *

Hekate was woken up to someone touching her arm, something that shouldn't have happened. Lincoln was gone still and wouldn't be back for another week or so. So, no one should have been in her house. Hekate quickly reached out and grabbed onto the arm, opening her eyes. She gasped as Alice backed up, rubbing her arm and shuddering. "A-Alice?" She quickly sat up, realizing her gloves were off. "Oh, fuck, Alice!"

Jasper was by her side, rubbing her arm as well. "Are you alright, Darlin?"

Alice nodded at her husband, breathing in deeply. "Yeah… That just hurt like a bitch… My arm felt like there was static in it."

Hekate relaxed a little bit knowing that she hadn't killed her best friend. "I'm so sorry… I didn't…"

Alice shook her head, sitting beside Hekate on her bed. "It's alright, Hekate. I woke you up and I apologize."

Jasper handed Hekate her gloves, kneeling in front of her. "It's okay, Hekate." He then gently touched her knee, frowning deeply. He looked like shit, in a still beautiful kind of way. His eye bags were more pronounced, his eyes were dark but not in color. They just looked haunted. "I heard what you said last night… Thank you, it made me feel better."

Hekate frowned at him, touching his shoulder. "There's a but coming…"

Alice nodded, gently rubbing Hekate's shoulder. "But… we can't stay here."

Jasper looked away from the pain in Hekate's eyes. "I'm sorry, Hekate… I need to be away from humans. I need to calm down. I'm not supposed to tell you but you're my best friend." He looked at Hekate and gently touched her gloved hand, squeezing gently. "My whole family is leaving Forks. Edward has decided that being in a relationship with Bella will get her into more danger, potentially killing her. He won't turn her so…"

Hekate felt her heart breaking in her chest, "So you're all leaving… Edward's just going to leave Bella, just like that."

Alice nodded, looking down at her lap. "Yes… It's going to be like we never existed."

Jasper stood up, blinking the venom tears away. He knew how much Hekate had to be hurting right now. They got close to her. They became best friends. They made her feel safe, made her feel at home. Now they were just going to leave, never to come back or talk to her again. She would be on her own, again. It tore him apart as well, he just hoped with time she would heal.

Jasper laid down some photos of their family, "Keep these hidden, don't show them to Bella or let her find them. I just couldn't do that to you as well…" He looked at her, noticing the tears falling down her cheeks. "I'm so sorry, Hekate…"

Alice rubbed her tears away, kissing her cheek softly. "We love you dearly… We wish it didn't have to be like this…"

Hekate looked down at her lap, squeezing her pillow tightly. "It's fine… All my friends leave me anyways. At least you're getting out alive."

Jasper and Alice both flinched at how much pain was in her voice. She wasn't trying to hurt them, she was becoming resigned. She already accepted they were as good as gone. Jasper went to touch her but Hekate shook her head. "I love you both… be careful… I hope you recover soon, Jasper. You don't deserve to be in pain like this…"

Jasper sighed softly, "Neither do you…" He looked at her one more time before leaving.

Alice kissed Hekate's temple before leaving as well, trying not to cry.

Hekate heard the door shut, heard the car engine drive away.

Then it was silent.

It was gonna be like that for a while, Hekate thought.

{X}

Hekate had to face school without the Cullens for three days before Edward left Bella. It was like hell for Hekate. She had no friends anymore. She didn't want to sit with Bella and Edward since they were so awkward those three days. She ended up sitting outside and eating her lunch, listening to her iPod and reading. The other students didn't really know what to think about her. She was very quiet, she didn't try to talk to anyone. She never tried to be involved. No one really hated her, some people were jealous with how close she got to the Cullens. That was it.

She tried not to let Bella see how broken she was now. Her best friends left her because an emotional disaster of a teenage vampire is throwing a hissy fit. Her pain was mixing with her anger and turning her thoughts darker than normal, something she was kind of sad Edward couldn't hear. She hated him and wanted to put him through the pain she was going through, a selfish want but she didn't care at the moment.

Because of Hekate hiding her own troubles, she hadn't talked to Bella since her birthday, or much. She would say hello when she saw her but it was rare. She seemed so caught up in her own world, probably realizing that something was wrong with Edward.

That only added to her fear when Charlie said Bella was lost in the woods. He brought her over to his house, having been one of the first people he grabbed. He drilled her about what Bella was doing but she didn't know anything. She hadn't really talked to Bella all week.

Hekate had been too shocked to really react too much, waiting outside with Charlie. She had wrapped a blanket around herself when someone brought it to her. She had recognized that some of the Quileute boys were shape-shifters but it didn't make her react.

Hekate only came out of her state when Sam Uley walked through the tree line, carrying Bella to Charlie, saying she was okay. "No, I don't think she's hurt. She just keeps saying 'he's gone.'"

Charlie leaned over his daughter, looking terrified but so glad she was safe. "Bella, honey, are you alright?"

Bella managed to speak softly, calling out to her father, "Charlie?"

Charlie gently brushed her hair back, "I'm right here, baby." He then took her from Sam, staggering at taking her full weight.

Sam frowned a little, worried about Charlie, "Maybe I should hold on to her?"

Charlie shook his head, "I've got her," he said breathlessly.

Hekate followed Charlie into the house, opening the doors for him. She placed a pillow on the couch, laying a blanket over Bella when she was laid down. She moved back, biting her lip as the doctor checked Bella over. Hekate looked down at her feet while they talked, thinking about how much pain Bella must be in. She didn't blame her for going into an almost catatonic state. She hadn't been herself since Jasper and Alice talked to her.

Hekate could hear what the adults were talking about, telling Charlie about Carlisle's job offer in LA. The Cullens could never live there, it was a lie. They would never be able to find them either. They were ghosts.

Hekate kneeled by the couch, brushing Bella's hair back. She saw the look in her eyes and nodded, letting Bella knew she knew as well. "We're here for you, Bella…" She couldn't say it was going to be alright, time would heal all wounds, they couldn't say anything to make it better. They just had to be there for her…

Hekate sat on the couch beside Bella, laying another blanket over her as she listened to Charlie argue with Billy over the phone.

Charlie came over to check on his daughter, surprised Bella had been listening since she asked what was wrong. "I'm sorry I woke you, honey."

Bella frowned softly, "Is something burning?"

"It's nothing. Just some bonfires out on the cliffs."

"Bonfires?" Bella's voice sounded dead compared to usual, making the other two wince.

"Some of the kids from the reservation being rowdy."

"Why?"

Charlie stared at the ground, his jaw tense. "They're celebrating the news."

The news that the Cullens had left Forks, that they were never coming back.

Charlie nearly spat, "It's ridiculous."

It wasn't really, but Charlie didn't know of the supernatural world. He couldn't understand how deep the hatred of vampires was for the shape-shifters. How vampires being around could ruin the lives of the young men in the tribe.

Charlie spoke up a while later, the sun coming up and the light shining in the room. "Bella? He left you alone in the woods?"

Bella looked very uncomfortable, trying to deflect his question. "How did you know where to find me?"

Charlie raised an eyebrow at her, sounding surprised, "Your note." He pulled out the crinkly, dirty note and showed Bella. "When you didn't come back, I called the Cullens and no one answered. I called the hospital and Dr. Gerandy told me Carlisle was gone. I ran and got Haya but she didn't know anything."

Bella frowned up at him, "Where did they go?"

Charlie looked at Haya and then at Bella, frowning. "Didn't Edward tell you?"

Bella winced, shaking her head no.

Charlie answered slowly, noticing how badly she reacted to his name, "Carlisle took a job with a big hospital in LA. I guess they threw a lot of money at him." He then changed the subject back, "I want to know if Edward left you alone out there in the middle of the woods."

Bella quickly shook her head, looking like she was even more miserable than before. "It was my fault. He left me right here on the trail, I could see the house… I tried to follow him, that's how I got lost…" She then covered her ears when Charlie tried to talk, "I can't talk about this anymore, Dad. I want to go to my room."

Hekate helped Bella up, wrapping a blanket around her shoulders. "Let's get you to bed…" She knew Charlie was watching them sadly. Bella didn't say anything as Hekate handed her some pajamas. Not when Hekate dried her hair. Not when Hekate tucked her in.

Bella only whispered once before she fell asleep, "Please stay… I don't want to be alone."

Hekate laid down beside Bella, hugging her tightly. "You're not alone, Bella… I'll be here when you wake up, pinky promise." She felt great that she managed to make Bella smile slightly.

{X}

Hekate kept her promise to Bella, not that Bella seemed to notice. Bella had become a zombie since the night Sam found her in the woods. She didn't talk to anyone, at school or home. She didn't seem to see Hekate, Charlie of her friends at school. She didn't do anything besides eat robotically, do homework, sleep, go to school and repeat.

Hekate herself was over at the Swan's until bedtime most of the time to help take care of Bella. Hekate would fix dinner for everyone, making extras for Charlie to take for lunch the next day. She would make sure Bella showered, went to bed instead of staring out a window. She was the caretaker for another human being when she really needed someone to take care of her.

Hekate had no one now. Lincoln was her only close friend left, Bella couldn't count now that she was a zombie. However, Lincoln was busier than ever and was hardly home. That left Hekate by herself. She had no one to talk to, Charlie was never much for talk and she couldn't talk to him about her problems either. She didn't have any friends at school, not ones she would trust with her secrets.

She had no one to talk about her nightmares, the loneliness she was feeling, the darkness she felt crawling up her spine and clouding her mind. She had no one.

She wanted so desperately to call Alice or Jasper, to talk to them about everything she was going through but she couldn't. There was no way to contact them, something she knew the Cullens did on purpose. Bella herself had been emailing Alice's old email address but never received a response.

That's why Hekate seeking ways to escape the constant darkness in her life. She would stay up late, drinking coffee and reading until she passed out to avoid the nightmares. She would sleep with the lights on, all the doors locked and a gun loaded on her nightstand.

Hekate would listen to music when she was alone, anything to fill the silence. When she was at school she would listen to the constant background noise, doing her homework or reading to focus on something besides her own thoughts.

Hekate tried not to think about her parents, Mariana and Martin, the gang or the Cullens. Those were all triggers to her now it seemed. Sometimes it couldn't be helped. She once saw a beautiful dress in a magazine and knew Alice probably had that dress. She would see a flashy car commercial and knew Emmett and Rose would be all over it. She would smell the diner food sometimes when she would go with Bella and Charlie, the smells reminding her of Esme's cooking.

That's about the time when she started to realize something was wrong with her.

{X}

Angela sighed as she saw Haya reading through lunch again. Haya had gotten her tray before sitting in the back, away from Bella which had only happened recently. Haya never looked up or watched people now. She always had her head down, watching her feet or reading a book.

Angela had also noticed how Haya had begun to physically change as well. Her skin seemed to be paler than normal, not that she had much color to begin with. She had bags under her eyes now, which Angela knew was from lack of sleep.

Haya had always been a good student, actively listening to every lecture and taking notes. Lately, Haya hadn't even been taking notes. She would nod off in class something as well. One time Angela even saw Haya napping her way through lunch in the library.

Angela tried asking around but no one knew anything. Haya didn't talk to anyone but Bella and the Cullens. Bella was just as bad as Haya so no one could talk to her either. The Cullens moved schools and she couldn't just message any of them anyways.

Jessica noticed who Angela was staring at, raising an eyebrow at her. "Worried about her?"

Angela glanced at her, blushing a little when she realized she was caught staring. "Uh… Yeah. She's always been quiet but not like this…"

Eric wraps his arm around Angela's shoulders, glancing at Haya and then back at his girlfriend. "She's fine, she's just lonely."

Jessica opened her compact and fixed her makeup while she talked to her friends. "I don't see why both those girls are so miserable. You'd think they join together to complain about losing their precious Cullens."

Mike frowned at her, "Like you did? 'Oh, I just can't believe Edward just left! Who am I supposed to pine after now, besides my boyfriend.'"

Jessica snapped her compact shut, narrowing her eyes at Miko not noticing how the other two quietly left the table. "I did not act like that. I was just concerned about him moving so late in the school year. We were almost to graduation too!"

Mike huffed at her, "Keep telling yourself that, Jessica. Edward only ever had eyes for Bella."

"Oh, like how you're obsessed with Bella?"

{X}

Hekate glanced up at the couple arguing a couple tables down from her. She rolled her eyes slightly, feeling a tiny bit irritated with them. What could they have to argue about at this age?

'Oh, I got a bad grade on this exam.'

'Oh, I saw you watching the girls run in gym.'

Their struggles seemed so pathetic and meaningless in comparison to what's happened to her so far in her life. She killed her own father, her best friend and her brother were killed in front of her and she was too weak to help them. She still hadn't helped them, she hasn't been able to help put the gang in prison. She left her mother alone in New York with no family left, or so she thought. Her only friends since then left her too. It was like the Universe truly did hate her.

That's why she was sick of all these people. She was sick of everyone… She just wanted to be alone. That way she could save people from her own existence. Hekate closed her book, slipping it in her bag. She then dumped her barely touched food into the trash, heading to the library to wait for her next class to start.

Hekate had noticed she didn't have a big appetite anymore but she thought it was because she was tired of unhealthy food. She was never a good cook and now she was mostly on her own. That meant easy to fix food, delivery or diner food. None of those appealed to her anymore. She only ate something when she felt her blood sugar beginning to drop or when she was bored and wanted something to distract her for a little bit.

{X}

Lincoln opened the door, raising an eyebrow at how dusty the foyer seemed. Hekate liked to clean the house when he was gone, saying it gave her something to do. All the lights were off except for a light coming from Hekate's bedroom upstairs. "Hekate?"

He sat his bags down when he didn't hear anything from the girl. "Are you home?" Her car was outside and her light was on? He climbed the staircase, his hand on the gun on his hip. "I went grocery shopping and I'm going to fix dinner tonight, does that sound good?" If someone was in the house he didn't want them to think he suspected it.

Lincoln peered into Hekate's room and relaxed, seeing Hekate curled up in her bed, asleep. She had a book open on the bed, the pages fluttering from the breeze her fan created. The lamp on her desk was the only light on in her room.

Lincoln then noticed how different Hekate seemed. Her skin was paler, he could tell even though it was dark in her room. She seemed to be thinner as well. She wasn't big when she arrived in Forks but she was never so tiny… She had bags under her eyes meaning she wasn't sleeping well, which may be why she was sleeping so early on a school night.

Her room was also a mess. Her trash can was full of energy drinks and other things. Her desk was cluttered. There were clothes tossed in the general direction of her laundry basket that was very full. Her room seemed dusty as well and needed vacuumed.

Had he been gone so long that he hadn't noticed Hekate had become depressed. Some people in the witness protection program became depressed so he wasn't too shocked. He just wished it hadn't happened to Hekate. She was a sweetheart and deserved to be happy, not struggle with something as serious as depression.

He wished Doctor Cullen still lived in Forks. He trusted him and his family. He would have let Hekate go to him for therapy and have someone to talk to. Maybe that Jasper or Alice, if he remembered their names correctly. Hekate was very close to them… Maybe their disappearance was the final straw for Hekate…

Lincoln turned off her lamp, gently brushing her hair back from her face. "One-day Hekate… You're going to be happy. You're going to know how much people love you… One day you'll be with your family again. The bastards who hurt you will be in prison or on death row…" He sighed before gently shutting her door behind him, blinking his eyes to clear the moisture from them. He then went downstairs, fixing a big dinner and desert for Hekate, making her favorites to try and cheer her up.


	6. Chapter 6

_I binge wrote this chapter because I just couldn't wait any longer for it! However, I haven't re-wrote any of the future chapters so it'll be a while before I update again._

 _Also, I highly suggest you listen to 'You'll Be In My Heart' from the Tarzan soundtrack, sang by Phil Collins. It's very befitting of Jasper and Alice's feelings for Hekate._

* * *

To: **EarthLover** , **Angel897** , **GawkyTC** , **SilverDeaf1977** , **LizAnn** , **Totaalt** , **Snow-Angel** and **DarkAngel2581**

Thank you so much for reviewing! I'm so glad you all enjoyed the last chapter and I hope you love this one just as much.

I hope you don't want to kill me for this chapter!

Chapter 7 most likely won't happen the way I planned or you want it too. I'm going to spend some time expanding on Alice, Jasper and Hekate's familial relationship. There's also gonna be a much hated background Twilight character appearing soon. Anyone wanna guess who? She's someone from Jasper's past.

Also, since I'm focusing on this for a bit, the Kings won't meet Hekate for a bit yet. It won't be too long, I promise! Maybe the extra wait will make the awaited chapter even sweeter?

* * *

Alice looked out the window of the home they were in, sighing as she watched the snow falling from the sky. The weather seemed to fit her mood. She felt cold, lonely and lost now. Edward was out running around the world, trying to escape his life and pain, the pain he caused and won't own up to. Bella was probably still a mess. Hekate…

Oh, Hekate…

Alice didn't know she would love Hekate more than Bella but she did. Bella was sweet but she was had a one-track mind when it came to them and Edward. Hekate, she really loved her and Jasper. They were best friends.

Then Edward made their family leave both girls on their own, not even caring about what that would do to Hekate. He was just being selfish and a child! Hekate had no one now, no one besides an US Marshall who was rarely home. She had been through too much for them to leave her like that.

Alice wished she had put her foot down with Jasper, telling Edward they weren't going to leave Hekate or Bella lone. Now… She didn't know if showing up would be a good thing or not for the girls…

"Alice… Darlin, why don't you focus on your studies?"

Alice looked up as her husband walked up to her, bending down to kiss the top of her head. She sighed softly as she felt him make her relax, something she appreciated. "I can't right now… I just have this feeling that something's wrong… I'm antsy. I can't sit still." She frowned at the look on her husband's face. "More than usual."

Jasper picked her up, wrapping his arms around her in a hug. He smiled faintly when Alice buried her face in his neck, wrapping her little arms around him tightly. "I know, Darling… I know…"

Alice tensed in his arms suddenly, her grip getting so strong it hurt a little. "J-Jazz…"

Jasper held her securely, knowing how vulnerable she felt when she got visions. "What do you see, Alice?"

Alice's eyes were moving back and forth like crazy with the images she was getting on Hekate. She kept pushing to see more, hoping there would be a chance. Hoping they could change this vision. They were only based on decisions after all. It didn't mean she was doing _that_ right now…

Alice looked down at Jasper when her vision faded away, able to see him now. "We have to take the jet to Washington, now!" She jumped down from his arms, grabbing her cellphone and calling the private airport the jet was parked at now.

Jasper wanted to know what was going on but knew Alice was rushing for a reason. Her vision had to be important and time sensitive from how she was acting. He quickly filled a carry-on bag full of money they would need, their papers, licenses and everything else. He then met her outside, jumping onto his motorcycle, "Are they preparing the jet?"

Alice held onto his waist, pulling the bag onto her back. "Yes. We have to hurry Jasper, please! It's Hekate!"

{X}

Angela had noticed Haya seemed a bit different today. She didn't even have a book out all day. She was just staring into space, biting at her nails and playing with her hair. She had never done either of those before, at least not to where Angela noticed. Haya seemed even thinner than the month before, her eye bags more prominent. She stopped wearing flannels and wore sweaters, sweatshirts and sweatpants.

Haya hadn't even been touching her lunch at all now. She would go through line and leave her food at the table for others. She would then go to the library to be alone. She never spoke up in class, never looked at the teacher. Her grades began to drop, something she only knew from the teachers talking about it to each other.

Today, Haya just seemed… Worse. Lost. Empty.

Angela had finally gotten up the courage to talk to her too, right before their last class ended. The teacher let them talk quietly to each other since they finished their work.

Angela glanced at Eric who was reading his textbook, working on the homework due tomorrow. Angela took the chance, moving to the table Haya used to share with Jasper. Angela slowly pulled the chair out, leaving room between them both. "Haya?"

Haya had flinched when Angela pulled the chair out, the slight scrape sound startling her. She then raised an eyebrow at the girl, surprised she was talking to her. "A-Angela, right?" She had to clear her throat since she hadn't talked in a while.

Angela smiled softly at her, "Yeah." She then motioned to the homework on the table in front of Haya. She hadn't even written her name on it. "Would you like some help with that?"

Haya glanced down at the paper before sighing softly, feeling the familiar ickyness building in her veins. "No… I'm not going to turn it in."

Angela frowned softly, "Why not?"

Haya looked over at Angela before looking back out the window she had been staring through before. "I'm not going to be _here_ tomorrow."

Angela nodded softly, "Ah… Well I'm sure the teacher will let you turn it in when you do. She's really nice."

Haya sighed again, rubbing at her temples as she was getting another headache. "No offense, Angela, you seem like a nice person… Too nice a person to care about someone like me, but… Just forget about me okay? Your life will be a lot easier, trust me." She then grabbed her stuff, shoving it in her bag just as the bell rang. She ignored Angela calling her name as she quickly headed to the parking lot.

Angela wouldn't need to worry about her much longer. Tonight was the night. Her last night…

She finally had enough of trying to fight the blackness seeping from her soul. She tried but she just couldn't find a reason to fight for long. Her mother had surely moved on already or was trying her best. She wouldn't be in danger of dying if she was dead. From her own daughter's sick powers or from the gang Hekate somehow got tangled up in.

Lincoln would be able to drop his ties in Forks and be able to take on another case, a better case. He wouldn't have to babysit a child like her, someone as horrible as her. Maybe he would be able to save a good person this time, someone who deserved it.

Bella didn't seem to care about her anymore, alive or dead.

The Cullens would probably only realize she was dead when it hit the papers, if it got enough publicity. Maybe they would think a gang member got to her… Maybe the Cullens would never find out, not that they cared anyways. They just let her here on her own, after promising to take care of her, to be there for her…

They left her just like everyone else left her…

{X}

Alice pushed the pedal down further, almost flooring the vehicle they had stored at the airport in Washington. They were getting close to Forks but Alice needed to be there now! Every second was vital, vital to Hekate's life. "Come on, Come on!"

Jasper reached over and squeezed his wife's hand, flooding her with confidence and taking away the anxiousness in her system. "We're going to make it, Darling." He glanced out at the darkening sky, feeling his own eyes narrow. "We're going to make it. We're going to save her."

Alice squeezed his hand as she took the exit for Forks, feeling better now that they were in the same town. "Jasper… We're taking her home with us. We'll move to somewhere else, not New York. We can't bring those memories back on her as well."

Jasper nodded his head, "Of course. We'll take her home to Carlisle, have him check her over in case she does hurt herself. Then we'll find a house somewhere remote, somewhere she can recover in peace."

Alice turned down the right street, feeling the anxiousness building up again in her body. "We'll take her to our home in Texas."

Jasper waited until Alice pulled into the driveway, not even waiting for the car to stop before he ran inside the home, barely keeping himself at a human pace. He then ran right for Hekate's bedroom, using his vampire speed. He heard Alice on his heels, their steps making the stairs groan a little.

Jasper flung open her door, nearly tearing it off the edges, "Hekate!" His whole body froze in the doorway, barely leaving room for his wife to see past him. He felt venom tears building in his eyes, his chest aching at the sight before him.

They were too late.

Alice pushed Jasper out of the way before crying out, reaching out her hand as if to touch her but didn't move her feet. "He… Hekate?!"

Hekate had formed some rope into a noose, hanging herself from a wooden beam in her room. Her body was lightly swaying, having not kicked the chair out from under her long ago. Her neck was forming an angry bruise where the rope was digging into her skin, pinching her artery and causing her to lose consciousness. When her brain and body ran out of oxygen, she would die.

Hekate had a big slash on her arm but it wasn't bleeding too much, she had tried to wrap it up and stop the blood flow. She was wearing a black dress, one that would have hugged her figure before, now it hung off her frame and showing how much weight she had lost. Her eyes were closed but they could smell and see the tears that had fallen from them, the neckline of her dress damp from all the tears.

Jasper snapped out of his stupor, moving quickly to Hekate and holding her body in his arms, holding her up so the rope wasn't digging into her neck anymore. "Alice, cut her down!"

Alice was crying, her little frame shaking at what she was seeing. "Jasper… We… She!"

"Alice, cut her DOWN. Please, Alice!"

Alice dragged the chair upright, standing on it to reach the rope above her. She held it steady and with a deep breath she slashed the rope with her nails, letting out a small sob when the rope swung back and forth in front of her. "Oh god…"

Jasper laid Hekate down on the ground, listening for her pulse. He glanced up as Alice kneeled beside the girl, her eyes moving down her body with horror. Jasper groaned loudly when he didn't hear a pulse coming from Hekate. Her heart wasn't beating anymore either. "Alice, will you breathe for me?" He quickly moved into position, starting CPR on Hekate while being careful not to break her ribs. He called out how many compressions he was doing for Alice, ignoring the tears he saw falling onto his hands and Hekate's chest. "Thirty."

Alice gently tilted Hekate's head back, breathing into her twice so she could fill her lungs with oxygen. "Please, Hekate. Please, please, don't go. We love you so much and we're so sorry! Don't do this please…" She breathed for her again when Jasper did another set of compressions.

Jasper leaned back, listening for any sounds from Hekate's heart. Slowly her heart began beating again. He laid his head on her chest, letting his tears flow freely now. "Alice…"

Alice laid her hand on Jasper's head, watching as Hekate's chest began slowly rising and falling as she breathed weakly. "I know… I can her heart…" She then whimpered softly as she got another vision, not wanting to see this one and wished Edward could wipe memories instead of just read minds. "We need to change her now or we're going to lose her…"

Jasper shot up quickly, his eyes narrowing at the thought of having to change her. "Do you think either of us could manage to change her and not kill her? We both couldn't be in the same room as Bella when her arm was cut open…"

Alice looked up at Jasper, a strength in her eyes that he hadn't seen in a while. "I know we can because if we don't we're going to lose Hekate, Jasper. She doesn't deserve to die."

Jasper gently brushed his thumb across Hekate's cheek, sighing softly. "No, she doesn't…" He glanced up at his wife, hearing how Hekate's heart was getting weaker and her breaths were getting shallower. "I'm worried, Darling…"

Alice held Jasper's face in her hands, looking just as worried as he was. "So am I… But we can do this Jasper."

Jasper felt Alice's fear mix with his own when Hekate's heart skipped a beat before continuing to beat slowly. "We have to hurry…"

Alice bit at her lip, "We need to hurry and get the venom moving through her body before her heart stops all together…" She glanced up at Jasper, looking unsure. "You should get her vein; the bruising seems to be only around one side of her neck. You could get her jugular vein…"

Jasper nodded, slowly tilting Hekate's head to the side, feeling for the right vein. "There are two arteries in her wrists that would go to the heart."

Alice nodded, picking up her arm and gently cradling it, "Yeah, the ulnar and radial arteries…"

Jasper looked up at Alice, feeling her confidence and assurance, which made him feel more confident. "This is going to work."

Alice nodded before closing her eyes, not breathing anymore and slowly biting down into Hekate's artery. She tensed up her whole body as blood filled her mouth, forcing herself not to swallow even. She didn't feel that blood thirsty as usual. Hekate's blood was like her smell. It was off, different than a normal human's. Her blood tasted a little too sweet, sickly sweet, like the smell of a dying flower. Alice forced her venom through Hekate's artery, pumping as much venom as she could into her.

Jasper watched Alice, feeling proud of her when she wasn't drinking any of Hekate's blood. She was just pumping her venom into Hekate. Jasper then smelled her blood, his nose wrinkling softly as he pressed his lips against her neck, feeling her vein beneath his lips and her skin. Her blood wasn't tempting for him. It was too sickly smelling, kind of like her scent but stronger. Jasper bit through her soft flesh, stopping when he felt the blood filling his mouth. He clenched his hand tightly as he resisted the urge to drink, forcing the venom into her vein.

Alice pulled back, wiping her mouth on the sheet laying in the floor. "We just have to wait now… I can hear her heart getting stronger."

Jasper pulled back, shuddering with how tense he was, spitting the rest of the blood out onto the floor. "Good… I'm never doing that again."

Alice wiped his mouth clean for him before hugging him tightly, the sound of Hekate's heart filling their ears and making their struggles worth it. "But we did it, Jasper… We saved her and turned her without killing her."

Jasper looked down at Alice, smiling tiredly, "I think she'll be proud of us…"

Alice smiled softly, "I know she will…" She then glanced down at the poor girl, frowning softly. "Jasper…"

Jasper suddenly realized what was so strange. "She's not screaming or struggling. She's just… peaceful. I'm not feeling anything negative from her…" He then smiled softly, feeling his eyes fill with tears again. "She's… happy? I can feel the depression still hanging on to her but she knows we're here, what we did."

Alice sniffled softly before she gently hugged Hekate, petting her hair gently. "I love you so much, Hekate… We're going to take care of you now. I'm not going to ever leave you again. I'd rather tear myself apart."

Jasper gently rubbed her leg before kissing her hand, the one Alice didn't bite. "I love you too, Hekate… I don't know if you can feel the pain or not, but you're doing amazing so far. No one I've seen turned or heard of turning has ever been quiet through this process."

Alice gently kissed her forehead, "Rest if you can. We got you. We're going to take you to our home in Texas, we'll be all alone."

{X}

Hekate remembered feeling herself dying while she was dangling from the noose she created. She could feel her heart slowing in her chest, she could feel the familiar darkness taking over her mind. Not the depression she had become accustomed to, but the darkness that was present her whole life. The darkness she had control over.

After that she began to see some of her favorite memories playing, something that should have sent up red flags but didn't. She was embracing death finally, not running from it.

It was peaceful.

{X}

Mariana smiled as she leaned against Hekate's shoulder, sipping at a large cup of iced coffee. "What do you want for your birthday, Hekate?"

Hekate smiled down at her best friend, leaning against he as well while they walked down the sidewalk in the park. "Maybe that new lipstick shade that came out and a new flannel?"

Mariana laughed softly while she sipped her coffee, watching some people run by them. "I'm not surprised." She then dropped her empty cup into a trash can, pulling her friend towards the exit. "Come on then, we need to go shopping!"

Hekate laughed as she jogged with her friend, "The shops aren't going anywhere."

"No, but we need to have a sleepover and get everything else too! It's your birthday after all!"

{X}

Hekate sniffled softly as her mom bandaged up her little knee. She had fallen while playing in the park with Mariana's brother, crying loudly until her mother came to help.

Selena smiled as she gently kissed Hekate's forehead, "You're okay, sweetie. It's just a scrape."

Hekate wrapped her little arms around her mother's neck, still a little emotional. "Thank you, momma…"

Selena smiled softly down at her daughter, rubbing her cheeks gently. "You're welcome my sweet little girl. You're the best daughter in the world, you know that right?"

Hekate grinned up at her mom, giggling softly. "I know! You're the best mom in the whole wide world too!"

Selena laughed as she picked up her daughter, spinning around. "How about we go get some ice cream since you were such a strong girl."

Hekate giggled again, nodding her head quickly, her brown waves bouncing as she did. "Yes please! I want chocolate and strawberry!"

Selena's eyes twinkled as she watch her daughter talking excitedly about the toppings she wanted to put on her ice cream.

{X}

Hekate was nibbling on one of Esme's cookies when she saw something flash in front of her. She narrowed her eyes before laughing as Jasper picked her up, placing her over his shoulder. "Jasper!"

Jasper chuckled as he carried her outside, "You know Esme wanted you to wait until after dinner to eat those."

Hekate pouted as she went limp on his shoulder, "I know. They're just so gooood. You don't understand." She then paused as she was placed in the backseat of Alice's yellow sports car. "Oh, come on!"

Alice winked back at her as she turned around in the passenger seat, "Oh yes. We're going shopping and out to dinner!"

Jasper chuckled more as he got into the driver's seat, pulling out of the garage and heading to the main road. "Did you really think we were going to leave you at the house with just Edward and Bella?"

Hekate finished her cookie, finally, glad to see more waiting in a container beside her seat. "I thought everyone was out hunting, well besides Esme and Carlisle." They were on a date, Esme going to bring dinner back for Hekate and Bella when they were done. Edward was in his room with Bella, doing who knows what emo stuff he does. Bella must like it though.

Alice smiled at her, "We went before everyone else so we would be done early. We wanted to spend more time with you. Besides, it's a beautiful cloudy day and we need to seriously update both of your wardrobes."

Jasper narrowed his eyes at his wife, "You said it was going to be you and Hekate shopping."

Alice smirked at both of them, a knowing glint in her eyes. "I changed my mind."

Hekate smiled at the couple as they playfully argued, shoving another cookie in her mouth. She was happy she had become friends with them and the rest of the Cullen family.

{X}

Hekate grew very confused when she began to feel again and the memories stopped. She could feel the cold floor underneath her, her lungs filling with air even though it hurt to do so. God, her throat hurt so badly. She must have torn it to hell. Did she fall? Did the beam break? She wasn't heavy at all.

Then she began to hear something besides the ringing in her ears. She was amazed when she realized who was speaking. Jasper and Alice found her and must have saved her.

"Alice…"

"I know, I can hear her heart."

She could feel her ribs aching a little now as well, thinking they had to perform CPR on her. Especially since Alice sounded very emotional when she said she could hear her heart…

"We need to change her now or we're going to lose her…"

Was she still dying? She might have done too much damage to her body and heart… Maybe that was best… However, Alice and Jasper seemed so torn up about losing her. They had saved her after all. They had to have hurried to her side from one of Alice's visions… That meant they cared about her, right?

"Do you think either of us could manage to change her and not kill her? We both couldn't be in the same room as Bella when her arm was cut open."

"I know we can because if we don't we're going to lose Hekate, Jasper. She doesn't deserve to die."

Hekate felt Jasper brush his fingers over her cheek as he spoke, his hands were too large to be Alice's. "No, she doesn't… I'm worried, Darling…"

"So am I… but we can do this, Jasper."

Hekate felt like crying with all she was hearing. To save her they would have to turn her apparently, something she knew they both were wary of. Neither of them thought they had the control to turn someone and not drain them…

Jasper, though, he was willing to try it to save her. That made her think that maybe she was worth saving, worthy of having friends, worthy of having someone love her.

Maybe she shouldn't give in? Her death… was to protect others but Jasper and Alice wanted her alive and with them…

"We have to hurry…"

Hekate listened to them as they talked about how to change her. She knew they would be nervous but she trusted them. Jasper and Alice loved her and their love would be stronger than the blood lust they've been fighting off.

Hekate then felt Jasper tilt her head away, exposing the unharmed side of her neck. She felt Alice pick up her right arm, exposing the underside of her wrist.

Jasper sounded confident this time when he spoke, "This is going to work."

Hekate then felt Alice's teeth break through the soft skin of her wrist. That hurt but wasn't terrible. The real pain hit when the venom began seeping into her artery. It felt like her insides were being set on fire and melting, the lava then seeping through her body.

The pain intensified when she felt Jasper bite into her neck, where her jugular vein should be. They must have been trying to get the venom to spread as quickly as possible. The venom entered her veins then, igniting the other half of her body on fire. It felt like she was dying all over again, but this time it was like torture.

She knew Jasper and Alice were doing their best to save her and they would feel terrible if Hekate reacted like she wanted to. She wanted to scream and thrash around, to knock them off her. She wanted the venom to stop spreading, not to die, but to stop the pain.

However, Hekate tried to separate herself from the pain, to disassociate. She focused on the positive things in her life. She needed to fight off the pain and the depression that was still lurking in her mind. She had people who made her want to fight now.

She was thinking about prom whenever she felt the venom stop pouring into her system. Alice was the first to let go, her wrist aching at the bite site. It felt like she broke her wrist with how swollen it felt.

"We just have to wait now… I can hear her heart getting stronger."

Jasper's teeth then let go of her neck, moving back quickly from her. She could hear him spit her blood out, feeling bad for him. "Good… I'm never doing that again."

Hekate could hear clothing rustle, guessing they were moving. Alice's voice was then to her left, where Jasper was. "But we did it, Jasper… We saved her and turned her without killing her."

"I think she'll be proud of us…"

"I know she will…"

Hekate felt her heart swell in her chest, which was aching now with how hard it was working to push her blood and venom through her body. She was really proud of them. She knew how hard Jasper struggled with his blood lust, Alice too. They were the last to join the Cullens and had the hardest time adjusting.

"Jasper…"

"She's not screaming or struggling. She's just… peaceful. I'm not feeling anything negative from her…" His voice sounded thicker now, like he was tearing up. "She's… happy? I can feel the depression still hanging on to her but she knows we're here, what we did."

Hekate heard Alice sniffle before she felt the woman hug her, petting her hair. "I love you so much, Hekate… We're going to take care of you now. I'm not going to ever leave you again. I'd rather tear myself apart."

Jasper rubbed her leg before she felt him kiss the back of her hand, not the one Alice bit thankfully. "I love you too, Hekate… I don't know if you can feel the pain or not, but you're doing amazing so far. No one I've seen or heard of turning has ever been quiet through this process."

Alice kissed her forehead next, speaking afterwards. "Rest if you can. We got you. We're going to take you to our home in Texas, we'll be all alone…"

Hekate would have smiled if she was able to control anything. She felt like crying with all the love she felt from the couple, from her best friends. They meant the world to her and she was so thankful that they saved her. That's why she was fighting through this transformation. She was stronger than this depression, than this pain. She had been through too much in her life to give up now.


	7. Chapter 7

_So, there's going to be a minor southern coven arc during this time frame. This is to repair Jasper, Alice and Hekate's relationship. Also, some canon characters will be appearing that will lead to some future problems for the Volturi. I'm dying to get the kings and Hekate together but this is too good to pass up. Soon, though._

 _Also, I will be changing a few things about the vampires in this world. Just as in my Safe and Sound saga, vampires will be ably to cry. Hekate's tattoos won't be removed either. I always hated that bit about Twilight. I have many tattoos myself and would hate to see them just fade away. You know tattoos would look amazing as a vampire anyways, especially in sunlight._

 _Rant over, haha._

* * *

 **I Can't Think of a Username 3** , **Angel897** , **Marlastiano** , **SilverDeaf1977** , **DarkAngel2581** , **Lyryenn** , **Sarahburch :** Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed! You guys encourage me to keep writing. I'm glad everyone seems to be loving the story so far.

* * *

Alice hummed as she straightened the black comforter on the queen-sized bed in Hekate's new bedroom. Hekate wouldn't be sleeping ever again but she could relax and enjoy her room. That's why Alice spent the past two days in their home decorating the home. The first day was cleaning and decorating everything else, including her and Jasper's rooms. Well their room and a second room that was as a giant closet.

Jasper finished hanging up the blackout curtains on all of Hekate's windows, that way she could relax in the dark when she wanted. It was hard to hide from the sun in the south after all. Hekate was also a lover of everything dark, something Alice tried to theme her room after.

Hekate's walls were light gray, the carpet black. Her furniture was all dark wood. She had a lot of huge windows to let in natural light, be it sunshine or the moonlight. Her bed had light gray sheets, a black comforter with moon phases. Her pillows were a mixture of gray and black. She had a canopy around her bed as well, something Alice couldn't resist. She was spoiling Hekate and Jasper was too. They felt like they should after all the crap they put the poor girl through.

Jasper leaned against Hekate's armoire, watching as Alice tossed another black pillow onto her bed. "Have you seen when she's going to wake up? I don't want her to wake up alone."

Alice disappeared to the huge pile of boxes in the living room, running back with the boxes containing the stuff for Hekate's bathroom. "It should be soon! I have just enough time to get this all set up."

Jasper looked over in the direction of the guest house, across from the pool. He could hear her heart still beating. It was beating slower than yesterday, a sign that her transformation was almost over. "She still hasn't made a single sound."

Alice put the fluffy towels on the rack, speaking normally since she knew Jasper could hear her just fine. "I know… It's worried me a little. She has to be in pain but internalizing it all not to bother us."

Jasper walked into the bathroom, taking the shower supplies and placing them on the built-in shelves. "I wish she wouldn't… Though, I don't know if screaming would help or not. I'm just glad it's almost over for her."

Alice hung the bathrobe on the hook by the shower, running her fingers over the soft fabric while she sighed. "I know…" She smiled softly when Jasper wrapped his arms around her, kissing her neck softly. "I'm glad it's just us for a while though… It's nice."

Jasper smiled softly, kissing the top of her head next. "It has been rather nice, Darlin." He squeezed her gently, picking her up and chuckling when she grinned at him. "We should get away from the others more often." Alice hummed her agreement as he leaned up to kiss her husband, caressing his cheekbone gently.

They both stopped when they heart the rhythmic heartbeat falter before stopping.

Alice looked up at Jasper, smirking. "She's awake."

Jasper gently sat his wife down before running to the guest house, Alice beside him. Jasper opened the door first, standing in front of Alice because he knew Hekate would be disoriented. He couldn't take any chances though, Hekate was a newborn now and stronger than them both. Not to mention her powers that would most likely be amplified. "Hekate?"

{X}

Hekate had gotten used to the never-ending cycle of burning lava in her body, feeling her body changing as she was changed. She got used to the silence, besides the sounds coming from Alice and Jasper when they were home.

She was going to tease them about how many times they had sex, thinking she couldn't hear them. She could but she did her best to block them out, day dreaming. Anything to block out those sounds, it was rather disturbing to her.

She then began to feel different after what seemed like a week but had to only be three days later. She could feel her body slowing down, shutting down on her as the venom was absorbed into her. She could feel her heart slowing down, the familiar sound getting quieter and quieter until she felt her heart stop with a painful skip. She couldn't breathe anymore but it wasn't like before when she really did die.

Her consciousness wasn't being overtaken by darkness, she didn't feel herself slipping away. She felt stronger, like she needed to open her eyes. She felt incredible!

She could hear the birds outside, the wind blowing the grass and dirt outside. She could hear footsteps approaching the room she was in. She could feel the sunlight on her skin but it felt different. It didn't feel like it would burn her. It was a gentle warmth now. She didn't feel like she needed to gasp for breath since her lungs stopped working it seemed.

So… She really was a vampire now? It was kind of surreal.

"Hekate?" Jasper's voice sounded different now too. It was deeper and she could pick up on his accent a lot more. She could hear every movement he made from the fabric. She could even smell the fabric. It was a cotton blend. She could smell carboard, some fruity scents and an underlying musky smell that had to be Jasper's scent. There was a sweeter one mixing with his, Alice's scent.

Hekate opened her eyes, feeling even more lost. Her vision was so different now. She could see fucking dust in the air. She could see the individual granules in the ceiling above her. She could see everything! She then wanted to see Jasper and Alice, her body moving before she thought about it.

That's how Hekate ended up flying forward and falling onto her face. She groaned as she laid there, "I thought being a vampire meant you were suddenly graceful."

Alice's laughter reached her ears, sounding even more beautiful than when Hekate was human. "It will. You just have to get used to your new body."

Hekate then felt Jasper's hands lift her up, grinning down at her. "Though that's one way to start off your new life."

Hekate would have rolled her eyes but she was taking the couple in, able to see them so much better now. First, their skin was sparkling in the sunlight streaming through the windows and door. Secondly, she could see the bite marks on Jasper's skin. She could see their individual hair strands, the color flecks in their eyes. "Wow… You two are so beautiful." Alice giggled while Jasper just grinned at her.

Alice then gently motioned towards the bathroom. "You should look at yourself, Hekate. You've always been beautiful but now…"

Hekate felt a little nervous, knowing her eyes were red now. She was also a little worried about her appearance. She hadn't been in the best shape when she was turned. She then gasped when Alice grabbed her hand, gently pulling her into the bathroom. Hekate could tell Alice had to use a lot of strength to get her to move. She also knew Alice was only able to do so because Hekate was too stunned still to resist.

That's when Alice turned Hekate to face the floor length mirror on one wall. The woman she saw was like a better-looking cousin of hers. It didn't seem like her but it did at the same time. Her skin was smooth, not an imperfection showing. Her skin had lightened a few shades but she wasn't as pale as most of the Cullens. She and Jasper were the same skin tone now, since she and Jasper were tan before being turned.

Hekate's hair seemed tamer now, not frizzy at all. It was perfectly wavy throughout. Her eyebrows filled in a little. Her freckles were barely present now. Her eyes though… Her once chocolate-brown eyes were a striking red. "Wow…"

Alice smiled up at her, "You're gorgeous, Hekate."

Hekate then looked down, seeing what she was wearing. She was wearing a black tank top, a soft bralette on underneath it. She had on black shorts and she could feel some underwear on, knowing Alice had changed her at some point. Hekate sighed happily when her tattoos were still there, the skin just seeming more flawless now. The color stood out more now since she was so pale. "Oh, thank god. I hoped these would still be here."

Jasper laughed then, shaking his head as he watched from the doorway. "Of course, one of your first worries is about your tattoos."

Hekate pouted, "I spent a lot of time and money getting these done. Time, money, blood and tissue."

Alice giggled again, watching the two bickering like they used to do. "Oh, leave her alone, Jasper. They're beautiful and she loves them."

Jasper smiled softly before raising an eyebrow at Hekate, "You've been acting very calm since you woke up. A lot of newborns… act a bit wild. The new senses, abilities and thirst are too much for them. They act a bit crazy." That was confusing the hell out of him. Although, he shouldn't be that surprised considering who the newborn was. She had been surprising him since they met after all.

Hekate had always been strange. She had a wisdom that she shouldn't have had for someone so young. She was wary of them at first but never treated them like monsters. She loved them all for the individuals they were, not for what they could do for her like a certain teenager. Hekate also withstood the pain of the transformation without crying out once.

Hekate rubbed at her throat, frowning slightly. "It's painful, the thirst, now that I know what it is." She then looked up at them, tilting her head. "I don't smell or hear any heartbeats though, besides small animals. It's not too bad right now."

Alice rubbed her shoulder, "That's partially why we bought this estate. It's very secluded and has ton of private land that we bought with it. There shouldn't be humans for miles."

Jasper walked back into the main room of the guest house, "Let's go hunting that way you can quench your thirst."

Hekate slowly stepped outside of the building, her eyes adjusting easily to the bright sun. She was distracted by the beauty of the home by her skin. She was glittering in the sun, looking like she rolled in a kid's craft project, but in a good way. It didn't look silly on her, it made her look beautiful… She smiled softly at the sight, just noticing that Alice was talking.

"-ange… I brought your clothes and bought some more in a town nearby. It's all in your closet in your room. I know you're going to love it all! We spent an entire day decorating it for you."

Jasper frowned softly as he hugged his wife, able to easily see over her. "We just wanted you to be comfortable… and be happy. We feel so terrible for what we did to you, Hekate. We never should have let Edward coerce us to leave."

Alice narrowed her eyes, looking at the water in the pool and the light hitting it. "He was a spoiled brat and I was hoping to calm him down… and to help Jasper." She glanced back at Hekate, frowning softly as her gaze softened. "I never wanted to hurt you so much, Hekate. I should have realized sooner…"

Hekate listened to them both, feeling very mixed. She was happy to hear them apologize but she was still mad at them. She didn't know if mad was the right word… She forgave them when they saved her but… They hurt her very badly and left her entirely alone, terrified and with no one to talk to… They didn't want to leave her but they still let an immortal teenager throwing a tantrum influence them.

"I forgive you both." She saw them perk up a little at that, almost wanting to stop there but she had to get this off her chest. "But, you both hurt me, deeply. You're going to have to make it up to me." She felt something cold and wet on her face, reaching up to her cheeks. She brought back her fingers and saw a viscous, silvery liquid on her fingers. "Venom?"

Alice handed her a handkerchief, smiling sadly at her while her own eyes seemed wet. "We cry venom… All of our bodily fluids are replaced by venom after the change."

Hekate wiped at her cheeks while she smiled sadly at her two friends. "Can I get a hug before we go hunting? I missed you guys like crazy, you idiot vampires." She laughed as her limbs were crushed to her body, both of them wrapping around her tightly. Alice was nuzzling into Hekate's arm while Jasper had his chin on Hekate's head. Hekate let more tears fall as she enjoyed the moment, feeling happy for the first time in weeks.

{X}

Hekate loved running as a vampire even though she hated it as a human. She was ridiculously fast now, moving too fast for humans and animals to see. No matter how much she ran or exerted herself she never got tired either, she never lost her breathe. Not that she had breath to lose, vampires didn't need to breathe. She even got competitive with the couple, racing them as they ran for the far western edge of Texas, where there were more predators to choose from.

Alice commented on how Hekate really didn't want her first meal to be a rabbit. It didn't seem appealing to Hekate anyways. Rabbits were too soft and cute to be food. It grossed her out to think about, but not as much as it would have before.

Hekate nearly hit Jasper when he stopped, crouching down. She immediately crouched as well, scanning the horizon as she looked for what Jasper was seeing. That's when she saw it. There was a mountain lion stalking a small group of deer. She could hear the heartbeats of all the animals, smell their blood and it hear it rushing through their veins. She felt the venom pool in her mouth and her throat burned like she swallowed acid. She stayed still no matter how badly she wanted to run and snap the animal's neck and drain it dry.

She guessed that was the natural instincts Jasper mentioned on the way here.

Alice motioned for Hekate to go forward, smiling softly. "Go ahead."

Hekate nodded softly, tracking the mountain lion's movements through the grass. She slowly began moving through the grass, making sure to stay low and not step on anything that would make a noise. She didn't want to alert the deer or mountain lion until she was ready. She managed to sneak up behind the mountain lion, close enough it was noticing there was something hunting it instead. Its movements became uncertain, looking wary. The deer noticed the mountain lion, racing for safety. That caused the mountain lion and Hekate to spring into action. Hekate grabbed the mountain lion and tackled it to the ground, pinning its head down with her arm. She kept its body pinned with her own, using just enough force so it couldn't move. She didn't want to hurt it, it was still a living creature. It was giving her life like it would have taken life from the deer. It was the circle of life. One that should be respected.

That's why she gently cradled the lion while it roared, trying to get away from her. She then focused on her ability, the one she used to fear. It felt different accessing it now. It was stronger now, much stronger. She reached for just enough to kill the lion but it sent a shockwave through her arms it felt like. The lion died before it's heart could beat another time, it going limp beneath her. Hekate's hands were still shaking as she let go, watching them shake. "Oh shit."

Jasper appeared by her side, dropping a dear carcass down before him. Alice then walked up, wiping at her mouth with a handkerchief. Their eyes were a lot lighter but held worry for her now. "What's wrong?"

Hekate looked up at them, smelling the blood on them and still lingering in the deer. She kept her eyes on Jasper though, staying leaned over the mountain lion. "My power is a lot stronger now… I didn't expect it and used more than necessary. My hands just feel staticky, I'm fine."

Alice and Jasper both relaxed at that. Alice then picked up Jasper's deer, tossing it to where hers was laying. "We'll give you some privacy and head back. Catch up when you're done?"

Hekate nodded softly, smiling at Jasper who looked unsure about leaving her. "I'm okay, Jasper. It's just a little weird to try this for the first time with you two watching."

Jasper sighed and gently patted her shoulder, "Alright. Just be careful. If you smell a human just run for us."

Hekate nodded as she watched them run back towards the house, smiling fondly. She waited a bit before looking back down at the mountain lion. She then reached down, biting into the animal's neck. She didn't like the feeling of fur in her mouth but she loved the feeling of blood filling her mouth. It was like honey as it moved down her throat, putting out the fire there. She quickly drank the animal's blood until no more flowed. She sat back, licking at her lips as she enjoyed the feeling. She felt like she was a feather with how light she felt.

She was happy.

{X}

Hekate walked into her room, finding it from the elegant font of her name painted on the door. The door was dark wood with her name written in a light blue, little stars and a moon on the end of her name. She nearly gasped when she saw the inside of her room, deciding that the Whitlocks needed a hug for this. It was amazing!

She walked to the closet and smiled fondly when she saw her clothes and the new ones Alice bought her. She pulled out a black band shirt, a red plaid skirt to match and slipped on some flats. She pulled her hair back with a clip she found in the bathroom, still a little dazed from her room. She could tell they really did their best to make her feel comfortable. It meant a lot to her.

She listened in to find the couple, hearing them talking in the direction of the living room. She walked past the other empty rooms, her room on the other side of the house from the master bedroom. She passed the archway into the kitchen and dining room. She walked a bit further and came to the big living room. It was very open with lofty ceilings. There was floor to ceiling windows around the room and a stone fireplace. There were tan couches scattered around the room, most focused around the entertainment center and fireplace. It was decorated with rustic furniture and some contemporary decorations, a mix of the couple's tastes. It was cute.

Jasper was sitting on the couch, leaning into the arm while his legs were on the coffee table. He was reading a book on philosophy. Alice was sitting beside him, sitting cross legged. She had a sketch book in her lap, some magazines scattered on the couch beside her. Hekate could see a dress Alice was designing when she got closer.

Jasper was the first to look up, smiling at her. "Feel better?"

Hekate nodded as she leaned against the couch, smiling at them. "Yeah…"

Alice moved over, laying her stuff on the coffee table. Jasper laid his book down away, facing Alice while he gently tugged Hekate towards them. Hekate fell onto the couch before smiling when Alice turned her to face Jasper. "What are you doing?"

Alice began playing with Hekate's hair, taking it down from the clip to gently scratch at her scalp. "Enjoying some us time."

Jasper smiled at Hekate fondly, gently patting her hands that were on her thighs before moving Hekate's legs on his lap so she could relax. "We missed you. We want to spend time with you."

Hekate felt her un-beating heart swell in her chest, venom collecting in her eyes. "Guys…"

Alice wrapped her arms around Hekate, trying not to cry herself. "We love you so much, Hekate… I'm so sorry."

Jasper's own pain was exasperated by the girls' pain, venom tears threatening to spill as well. "We had a major part in why you felt you had no reason to live, Hekate… If we had been there with you… Maybe you wouldn't have felt so alone, so miserable. We could have helped you…"

Hekate's body began to shake as she cried, venom tears falling on her skirt and staining the fabric. "Who knows… Maybe I wouldn't have, maybe I would have even with your help…" She glanced up at Jasper, reaching out for his hand, "You're here now… I'm alive and we're together."

Jasper held her hand before pulling her into a hug as well, turning Hekate into a sand _witch_. "We're together now and we're going to be here to help you every step of the way as you adjust."

Alice squeezed her gently, kissing her shoulder. "No matter what."

Hekate smiled softly while she enjoyed the hugs she was receiving, "I love you guys…"

"We love you too, Hekate."


	8. Chapter 8

_Thank you to: **WinterRose** , **Silverdeaf1997** , **GawkyTC** , **Marlastiano** , **Angel897** , **Totaalt** , and **Hermonine** for reviewing! I appreciate you guys very much! _

* * *

_You don't have to wait for too much longer! I'm planning on having the next chapter be the one where Alice gets 'the vision' of Bella. Our queen of the crossroads will be heading to Voltera very soon!_

 _ **GawkyTC** posed a very good question about Hekate's powers over death. She can still use them on vampires almost as easily as she could a human. It's a little more difficult for a vampire since they're quite different. However, she can still use her powers in the same way. _

_I also explore some new ways her powers are being expressed in this chapter. She can prolong the dying process by making them feel numb first, then her powers kill them._

 _Someone a while ago mentioned how they thought QotCr was moving too fast. I've done this on purpose. These first few chapters are back story. They're to let you get to know Hekate, know her story. You understand what happened to her and her relationships with others._

 _The main focus of this story is going to be Hekate and the kings' relationship. Starting with the next chapter everything will slow down to a normal pace._

* * *

Hekate sat on the edge of the pool, lazily kicking her legs in the water as she watched the sun rise over the rock ridges. She had a habit of watching the sun rise and set now that she didn't need to sleep. She never liked getting up early before and that was one plus of being a vampire.

She had been slowly getting adjusted to her new life. She didn't hate being turned, she didn't regret it at all. She just felt strange. It was a very different feeling from being human but with Jasper and Alice's help, she was quickly handling it all.

Her feeding technique got better, she wasn't as messy as the first time. She was also able to practice with her powers more, realizing she didn't need to touch something to kill it now. As long as she was in close range and she really focused, she could slowly make something die. Jasper really liked that part of her powers, finding it fascinating. Alice thought it was rather convenient, she didn't have to hurt the animals to keep them still.

She had also come across her first group of humans yesterday, something Alice and Jasper had planned on. Alice saw that they would come across them on their hunt, Jasper wanting to test her strange control over herself. Hekate watched the water ripple in the pool as she thought about what happened.

{X}

Hekate ran over the lose rocks of the desert, racing Alice and laughing softly as Jasper was gaining on them. "Come on, slowpokes!"

Alice glanced at Jasper knowingly, not saying anything to alert Hekate. She saw Jasper nod, both moving on either side of her incase she bolted.

Hekate slowed down to a human paced walk, tilting her head in the direction of the wonderful smell. "Is that?" She looked in the direction of the smell, able to see a group of humans hiking over a ridge. "Humans…" She rubbed at her throat as the wonderful smell assaulted her senses. She could feel her mouth fill with venom, feel her body wanting to run for them. Her instincts were practically screaming at her to run towards them, to drain them dry. She would have enjoyed it, she knew that.

She wasn't going to kill those humans though. They were just going on a hike, enjoying the scenery. They didn't deserve to die… She closed her eyes, stopped breathing and clenched her fists. She focused on the wind, the sound of small animals scattering around. She focused on Alice whispering to Jasper. She focused on anything but those humans.

After a few seconds, she began jogging away from the humans, towards some alligators Jasper found before. "I'm okay, guys."

Jasper raised both of his eyebrows as he followed Hekate, glancing back at the humans who were almost invisible to their eyes now. "That's amazing…"

Alice sped up to run beside Hekate now that she wasn't racing them, "I don't think a newborn has ever had this much control, besides Carlisle and Edward."

Hekate glanced at Jasper and then Alice, smiling sheepishly. "I don't mean to break all the rules, I guess. I just don't want to hurt anyone who doesn't deserve it. Why should I kill them when I can kill an animal and be okay? I mean, some animals. I refuse to kill a wolf or something really cute."

Jasper's confusion shifted to amusement, smiling at her. "That's a good way to think about this…"

Alice grinned at Hekate, her eyes seeming to glow in the bright sun. "I'm so proud of you, Hekate. I knew you'd be amazing as a vampire."

Hekate smiled softly at her best friends, "Thank you..." She stopped as she came to the water edge, smirking at Jasper. "Want to see who can get theirs first?"

Jasper smirked back at her, walking with her to the water edge. "You're on."

{X}

Hekate was just rinsing the conditioner out of her hair when she heard someone enter her room. "Alice?"

"It's me!"

Hekate relaxed a little, turning to watch as Alice skipped into her bathroom, laying some clothes on the marble counter. "What are you doing?"

Alice smirked at her, "We're having company soon. Some of Jasper's friends, Peter and Charlotte. I wanted to give you a heads up."

Hekate was too used to Alice not caring about personal space to care about being naked in front of her. She stepped out of the shower, taking the soft t-shirt she had laid out to dry her hair with. "Okay…" She straightened up after wrapping her hair, drying off. "Peter and Charlotte are the vampires who were also with Maria?"

Alice nodded softly as she handed Hekate the clothes she laid out. "Yes. They stop by to say hello to us from time to time. They realized our family was in New York but we weren't there. I called when they arrived, asking them to visit us here."

Hekate slipped on a black dress over her underwear. It was fitted from the waist up and flared out past the hips. She then walked into her room, slipping some black converse on. "Do they know you turned someone?"

Alice hummed softly, her eyes looking vacant while she got another vision. Hekate smiled a little when she realized Alice trusted herself around Hekate. Alice was very vulnerable while she got visions, usually relying on Jasper to protect her. Alice seemed perfectly at ease until her vision ended. "No, but their reactions aren't going to be bad. Mostly curious and surprised. Jasper and I don't exactly have the best control."

Hekate gently squeezed Alice's arm, "Well, you have your moments. I'm proof of that."

Alice smiled softly, looking up at Hekate. "You were more important than a possible blood craze, Hekate. You know that." She then grinned, trying to move on from the somber subject. "They're almost here, come on!"

{X}

Peter relaxed a little when he heard Alice's voice calling out to them. He could just hear Jasper laughing, a small smile forming on his face. Charlotte tilted her head when she could hear another female talking to them, commenting on how energetic the pixie was. She looked up at her mate, looking confused.

Why would Alice and Jasper be alone but with a new female they hadn't met before?

Peter only shrugged in response, walking up to the large back patio everyone was at. Jasper was leaning against the house wall until he saw them. He walked towards them, a grin on his face. Alice was waving at them happily, standing beside the strange female.

Jasper shook Peter's hand and then Charlotte's, smiling at them. "It's nice to see you both again. It's been a few years."

Peter nodded his head, "You both look very happy. I'm glad. I was a little worried when I learned you separated from your coven."

Alice piped up, "Only temporarily. We're helping our friend adjust to being a newborn."

The newborn waved at the two nomads then, their eyes snapping to her. She was a beautiful woman but her eyes seemed to hold something dark in them. Her scent only added to that feeling. She smelled like rotting flowers, sick and sweet at the same time. Like a venus fly trap. "I'm Hekate. It's nice to meet you both. Jasper and Alice have told me about you two."

Charlotte moved first, shaking Hekate's hand, or she was about to. Hekate pulled her hand back, smiling sheepishly at the woman. "I'm sorry, but I don't have any gloves on. My powers are in check now but I'm a little nervous at the moment."

Peter was at his mate's side then, looking a little curious and concerned. Curious as to what her powers would be and then worried for his mate. "Powers?"

Jasper spoke up softly, using his powers to calm everyone down, especially Hekate. "Hekate's powers are… unique. She has the powers of the goddess she's named after. She can see ghosts, communicate with the dead and control death itself."

Hekate would have blushed if she could have, instead she looked away from everyone as she let Jasper explain. "I can kill people when I touch them, only now it's expanded to where I don't even have to touch someone. My transformation seemed to enhance my gift quite a bit."

Peter raised both of his eyebrows, very impressed. "That's amazing. I've never heard of such a strong gift before."

Charlotte shook her head, agreeing with her mate. "Neither have I. How did you end up with the Cullens? They seem to always find the gifted ones."

Hekate smiled a little ruefully, "It's a long story. I was a human attending Forks High School when I met them."

Peter turned to Jasper then, "One of your coven members turned a human?" He knew they were all 'vegetarians'. He had met all of them and liked most of them. He secretly wondered if it was Edward, though with that new mate of his…

Hekate spoke up, glancing at her friends. "Actually, Jasper and Alice did." She gently rubbed at her neck, sighing softly even though it was unnecessary. "I tried to kill myself but they saved me in time. To do so they had to turn me."

Charlotte looked proud while Peter looked like he'd seen a ghost. "You managed to turn someone?" He was very surprised his best friend had managed to do that. He's always struggled with feeding his entire life as a vampire.

Jasper nodded, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah… I was terrified but I couldn't let her die." He then grinned at Hekate. "She's our best friend. We managed to do it for her."

Alice smiled at them, "You two can stay in the guest house by the pool."

Peter went to interrupt her but Alice talked over him. "You're staying for a while, to help Jasper train Hekate." She also knew this subject was touchy for Hekate, changing it for her.

Hekate turned to Jasper, this being the first time she's heard of this. "You're going to train me?"

Jasper raised an eyebrow at his wife before nodding softly, tipping his head to her. "Yes, ma'am. Just in case something happens, it's better to be prepared. We are in the south. The vampires in this area aren't that nice."

Charlotte looked up at her mate, "We have to stay now."

Peter chuckled as he watched Hekate trying to convince Jasper not to. "It's going to be very interesting to watch."

Alice spoke up, standing in between them now. "You have no idea."

{X}

The first day didn't go well at all, especially from Hekate's point of view.

Hekate stood in front of Jasper, in a sports bra and leggings. Jasper was in jeans and a tight shirt, so neither of them had an advantage. They could grab onto lose fabric and control the other. Hekate was nervously listening to Jasper's lecture, watching as he walked around her. She heard him clearly, part of her brain committing the information to memory. The other half was thinking about how hard she was going to be knocked on her ass.

Jasper had been fought in a human war, vampire wars and fought newborns for almost a century. Hekate knew nothing about fighting, besides some basic self-defense she learned from Lincoln. This was going to suck.

Jasper turned to her finally, motioning for her to move. "For now, try to hit me and we'll see what we need to work on the most."

Hekate bit at her lip, "I could hurt you though, what if I swing too hard and fast?"

Jasper shook his head, "It's going to be okay, Hekate. I've dealt with newborns before. I know to be careful."

Alice spoke up as well, "I'm looking at the future so if anything is going to happen, I'll stop you."

Hekate relaxed her shoulders a little at that, trying to ignore the nomads staring intently at her. She acted like she was going for his left, going for the right at the last second. She aimed her fist at his head, putting some force behind it.

Jasper wasn't quicker than her but he anticipated her moves, stepping out of reach. He then grabbed her arm, using her momentum to pin it against her back, pushing her down onto the ground. "That was good but you were too obvious. Your body language gave your intentions away."

Hekate narrowed her eyes at the dirt below her, sighing. "I'm not exactly a mercenary, Jasper."

Jasper chuckled softly, letting her go so she could get up. "I know, Hekate. That's why I'm here to help you." He then motioned her forward again, "Again."

Hekate huffed before rushing at him again. They formed a dance where Hekate rushed Jasper, trying to hit him down. Jasper would easily dodge her, at first. Hekate slowly got the hang of it, becoming faster and less predictable. Peter, Charlotte and Alice had become re-interested at that point.

Jasper's eyes adjusted to the pitch darkness around them, searching for Hekate since she ran for him. She was so fast now it was hard to keep an eye on her. He felt a breeze to his right, moving with it. That was his mistake because Hekate's hand grabbed his throat and tossed him to the ground. Jasper looked up to see Hekate kneeled beside him, her hand over his throat while she was smirking at him. He could feel the tell-tale tingle in his neck from her powers.

Hekate let go and stood up, wiping the dirt off her pants. "Finally, after how many times, I got you."

Jasper chuckled as he stood up, wiping himself off as well. "Very good, Hekate."

Peter smirked at Charlotte, realizing how much of a threat Hekate was as a vampire. "Maybe we should step in next, give you some unique fighting patterns to take on."

Hekate pulled her hair back up into a new ponytail, shaking her head. "I'm still not used to this no sleep thing. I should be exhausted by now." She then grinned at the nomads, "But by all means, bring it on."

Charlotte went first since she wasn't as skilled as Peter or Jasper. She was only with Maria for a year, unlike the other two. She wasn't as experienced. She didn't need to be though to spar with Hekate. Charlotte nodded her head at the girl, rushing for her immediately.

Hekate was surprised by her sudden attack, having to drop down to avoid her claws. Hekate sprung up and spun to face her. She then had to dodge again as Charlotte didn't give her any break from her assaults. She just continued going after her. Hekate was trying to focus on not hurting her but also dodging her attacks. That's until she got fed up with being on the defensive. She vaguely heard Jasper warning Charlotte when she growled. Hekate kicked out Charlotte's legs and shoved her into the ground. She then used her powers to make her limbs feel numb, her power making her immobile but not killing her.

Alice grinned at Hekate, "Finally you're using your powers."

Charlotte grumbled as she tried to shake her limbs to regain feeling after Hekate stopped. "That felt so strange…"

Jasper patted Hekate's shoulder while she fixed her hair again, keeping it out of her face. "You're already much better than yesterday."

Hekate huffed at him, "We've been doing this that long?"

Peter chuckled as he nodded, "Yeah. Jasper got a little carried away."

Jasper shrugged, winking at Hekate's exasperated expression. "But it helped. We'll do some more training later this week. You deserve a break."

Hekate rolled her eyes at him, playfully shoving him as she walked back to her room. "Hell yeah I do."

{X}

After Hekate showered and put on comfier clothes, she went and curled up in a hammock outside. She was reading a book on the civil war era when she heard someone walking towards her. She could smell the slightly feminine scent and knew it was Charlotte. "Hello."

Charlotte sat down on one of the lounge chairs, looking back at Hekate before looking out at the sunset. "Hello."

Hekate put a bookmark in the book, laying it on her chest. "Does it feel weird being in the south again?"

Charlotte nodded softly as she stared out at the horizon. "It does. It brings back a lot of memories, some good and some bad."

Hekate nodded softly as she closed her eyes, gently swinging the hammock back and forth. "I know the feeling. After my best friend was killed, everything reminded me of her. Coffee shops brought back good memories, cops and guns brought back bad memories." She then sighed, looking up at the night sky. "Now, it feels like the depression I tried to escape its trying to always creep up on me."

Charlotte looked over at Hekate, feeling the depth of emotions in her words. She remembered Hekate saying she killed herself… So, she had become too depressed and tried to find a way out. That's why she seemed so haunted at times. "It gets easier." She then smiled softly at the woman. "You're strong and you have a great family to help."

Hekate smiled softly, "Yeah… I do. Thank you." She then got up and motioned out to the desert, "Would you want to go hunting?"

Charlotte knew Hekate was a vegetarian vampire and didn't want to ruin that. Especially not since Hekate was still a newborn. She could snack on a deer or something even if it didn't taste good. "Sure. Peter and Jasper are off doing who knows what."

Hekate chuckled as they ran off into the desert, "You could ask Alice."

Charlotte smirked as she ran with Hekate, trying hard to keep up with her newborn speed. "That's true."

{X}

Peter and Charlotte decided to stay with the three vampires, ending up forming a new Texas Coven. They wanted a break from traveling around so much, enjoying spending time with their friends. They also really liked Hekate, helping her through her transition period as well.

Peter became like the uncle she never had, Charlotte her aunt. Peter was funny and loved to tell Hekate stories of their travels. Hekate was very interested in all these because she had never been anywhere besides New York, Washington and now Texas.

Charlotte was very nice and quiet, which was a pleasant change sometimes. Alice was always very hyper, loud and cheerful. Hekate loved Alice to death but sometimes it was nice to sit in companionable silence with Charlotte.

The new Coven existed in peace until February. That's when they got a surprise visitor.

{X}

News of a new coven has begun to spread to the other southern vampire clans. Having three vegetarian vampires living with two human drinkers was strange, especially when it involved the vampires it did. Jasper, Peter and Charlotte who were part of Maria's coven many years before. Jasper and Alice were two very talented vampires and had a bit of a reputation to those who knew them.

The newborn was also a mystery.

She didn't act like a newborn. She was calm and controlled like a hundred-year-old. It made a lot of vampires who saw or heard of her very curious, especially one woman in particular.

Maria.

Maria was ready to track this new coven down when she heard one was created, until she heard of who was in it. Jasper was part of the coven! His talented mate was with him as well. If she could get them to join her, she would be unstoppable. Jasper could control people again for her and Alice could see possible outcomes, keeping her safe and able to take down anyone. Maria was almost ready to hunt them down when she heard news of the strange newborn.

When Maria got a rough location of the coven she headed towards them, keeping out of the sun as best as she could. She was able to follow their scents when she got close enough, tracking them back to their residence. She was hiding behind a rock formation, scoping out the place.

There were lights on in the large living room. She could hear a fire going and voices talking. She recognized Peter and Charlotte's voice, vaguely. She never really cared for them anyways. She listened in for Jasper, hoping he was home as well. She relaxed when she heard him talking to someone.

"Hekate went out on a hunt, Darlin. She'll be back soon."

A very feminine voice spoke next, someone she guessed was Alice from how Jasper addressed her.

"Good! I ordered some new outfits for her." Alice paused, dropping something on the ground. "Jasper… Hekate needs to get here now!"

Maria tensed up when she saw Alice peek out the window, looking right at the formation she was hiding behind. Maria rolled her shoulders, building her confidence. She didn't need to fear Alice. She was older and stronger than she was. She could easily win Jasper over too. She didn't need to fight them.

Maria strolled toward the house, watching as the four vampires came out to meet her. Peter and Charlotte were out right glaring at her, growling lowly. Alice had her lips pressed firmly together in a frown. Her eyebrows were pinched as well, tracking her movements.

Jasper was watching Maria carefully. He wasn't glaring at her or seemed angry. He just seemed resigned and wary of her. She could work with that.

"Jasper, it's been a lot time! How have you been?"

Jasper nodded at her, in his usual polite way, "Ma'am. I've been well… You?"

Alice narrowed her eyes at Maria as she got closer, crossing her arms.

Maria smiled at them both, trying to be as non-threatening as she could. "I've been well. It's not been the same without you though." She then looked everyone over, "I was very surprised to hear that you four finally formed a coven together." She then tapped her chin, "Where's your new member though? I've heard she's a rather strange one."

Jasper's expression shifted then. He tensed up and stood taller. His jaw was clenched and his gaze was now threatening. "You won't bother her, Maria."

Maria raised an eyebrow at Jasper. "Did you tire of Alice and get a new mate? I've never seen you act this way."

Jasper growled at her, along with the other three.

"No. He's like my big brother."

Maria turned to see the newborn walking towards her. Her hair was dark brown and slightly wavy. It reached the middle of her back with it down. She had on black eyeliner that accentuated her eyes. Her red lips were pulled into a sneer as she got closer. She was wearing a red flannel with black leggings, black boots on her feet.

Maria smiled brightly at the woman, "I see. You must be Hekate, sweetheart."

Hekate rolled her eyes at her, moving to stand in front of Alice and Jasper. "I'm not your sweetheart, doll." Her newly obtained southern accent came out then. She glared at Maria, motioning towards her. "Just leave, Maria, before we have real problems."

Maria did not like this woman. She was intentionally getting in front of her target. She felt threatened by her as well, which she never handled well. Maria turned to Jasper, trying to talk around Hekate. "Leave already? We haven't even caught up yet, Jasper. I've missed you."

Hekate scoffed, looking at her nails. She didn't really care about her nails but she was acting like a bitch on purpose. She despised Maria and wanted her to leave before her anger got the best of her. She was pushing it though. "You don't miss him, you miss his abilities. You never cared about him. Fuck off, Maria."

Maria growled loudly at her then, narrowing her eyes. "You better watch your mouth, sweetheart. I'm much older and more experienced than you."

Peter had to be held back by Charlotte while Jasper and Alice were smirking at Maria. This confused Maria but didn't soothe her anger. It made it worse in fact. They didn't seem worried at all. She could handle newborns, hell she created armies of them. This one wouldn't be any different.

Hekate stepped forward, walking around Maria like she was a deer. A weak, prey animal she was going to devour. "You may be older and more experienced but I can kill you in a heartbeat. I don't need my improved strength, speed or senses to do that. You're an over-confident, manipulative, bitch who let others do her dirty work. I've always wanted to meet you though. Just to see what kind of monster tortured Jasper like you did."

Hekate paused in front of Maria, pushing her back so hard she fell on the ground. "You're not that impressive."

Maria was shocked that this little newborn had the guts to stand up to her like this. If she didn't want to tear her apart so bad, she'd consider adding her to her coven. Now though, Maria had to kill her. She sprang forward, reaching for her throat.

Jasper tensed up, pulling Alice behind him. Peter was growling loudly, ready to jump in if Hekate needed help. Charlotte was watching worriedly, biting her lip.

Hekate didn't need their help though. Hekate grabbed Maria's wrist and threw her on the ground, her body rolling along the ground. Hekate ran for her while Maria recovered. She grabbed Maria's neck with both hands while Maria grabbed Hekate's arms. Hekate squeezed her neck so tightly she was cracking the skin, hairline fractures reaching up towards her chin. Maria was trying to break Hekate's arms as well. She was breaking the skin slowly but wasn't able to really crush the limbs.

Hekate dragged her to the rock formation she hid behind, slamming her head into it so roughly that the rock broke apart, crumbling to the ground. Hekate dropped Maria's body on the rumble, wiping her arms as the fractures healed. "You have to do better than that, doll."

Maria got up, brushing the dust and rocks from herself. She glared at Hekate as she stalked towards her, "You should learn to respect your el-" She was cut off my Hekate flat out punching Maria so hard she was sent spiraling to the ground again. Her cheek was fractured and venom was seeping into her wounds to heal them. She groaned as she turned to see Hekate kneeled beside her. "You little bitch, I'm goin-"

Hekate got tired of hearing Maria talking shit to her, using her powers on her. She made the numbness take over her whole body and then the static-like fire spreading through her body as well.

Maria gasped, knowing it was Hekate that was doing this to her. "W-what are you doing!?"

Hekate stood up while staring her down. "I'm slowly killing you." Hekate then brushed the dirt off her leggings, "I can stop, on a few conditions."

Maria tried her absolute best to move, to get up and attack Hekate. She even tried to reach forward to grab her feet. Nothing. She couldn't even move her head now. Her hands started to feel like they were on fire, feeling her un-beating heart clench in her chest. She really was dying. Hekate could kill someone just like that?!

Maria was always a self-preservationist, which is why she looked up at the woman, "What conditions?" She wanted to cut her own tongue out for that but she could always live to fight another day, with reinforcements.

Hekate looked back at her coven and then back at Maria, narrowing her eyes. "I never want to see you again, Maria. You need to leave my coven alone, forever. Otherwise, I will kill you. I won't make it easy or fast either."

Maria growled at that but slowly conceded when the fire reached her neck. "Fine!"

Hekate smirked, snapping her fingers. She then picked Maria up by her shirt collar, shoving her back towards where she came. "Have a nice life, bitch!"

Maria nearly shrieked in anger at her. She glanced back at the smirking faces of Peter and Charlotte. Alice was giggling at her, shaking her head while she hugged Hekate. Jasper looked very pleased with Hekate and was ignoring her, ignoring her! How dare he!?

Maria turned her gaze to Hekate, seeing that Hekate was gazing back at her. She narrowed her eyes before running off back to her own coven.

One day, she was going to kill Hekate. She would pay for this.


	9. Chapter 9

_**Marlastiano** , **Maia2.0** , **Hermonine** , **Silverdeaf1977** , **Angel897** , **Mated-To-A-Yautja** , **LizzieAfterDark** ; Thank you all for reviewing! _

* * *

_**LizzieAfterDark** : __Oh my gosh, thank you so much! I'm so glad you like Hekate and my writing._

 _Alice and Jasper are my favorites as well, haha. Safe and Sound is my baby and he's a major reason why. I also love Carlisle! I had a crush on the movie!Carlisle when I first watched twilight._

 _I hope you love their interactions when the chapter hits! I'm sorry you have to wait but maybe it will be better that way?_

* * *

 _I made it through a very hard week this week but afterwards I've been in such a writing mood! I've written three chapters for QotCr in the past 48 hours! I'm on a roll and I hope it keeps going. Since I have some chapters built up I'm updating sooner than I normally would!_

 _It took a long time to actually get to the Kings but in chapter eleven, Hekate finally meets them! I cut out a lot of stuff and it still took a while. Apologies for that but I hope you still enjoy the story until then!_

* * *

Jacob sighed as he noticed Bella tense in his embrace, feeling his heart clench in pain. He knew she didn't like him like that but he couldn't help it! He thought she had died and the thought of her… It nearly killed him. That didn't mean he got to make her more uncomfortable. She felt like crap and he knew that. That's why he was going to carry Bella inside, let her get comfy before Charlie got home.

That was his plan until he opened the door to the truck, the air hitting him full on. "Oh!" He felt the air in his lungs leave him with the pungent smell in the air. It made him sick. It was a sickly sweet, death-like smell. It made him want to rip the people responsible apart.

Vampires.

"Holy crap!" Jacob slammed the door shut while he twisted the keys in the ignition. His hands were shaking with the effort it took not to phase in the truck.

Bella frowned at him as she heard the truck sputter, "What's wrong?"

Jacob didn't look at her as he tried to stay calm but it wasn't happening. He managed to spit out the name to her, gripping the steering wheel. "Vampires." The scent was too strong to be just one. It was multiple!

Bella felt light-headed at the thought of who could be in her house. "How do you know?"

Jacob looked around them, looking for the filthy blood-suckers, "Because I can smell them, dammit!" He then mumbled to himself about getting Bella out of Forks or to phase. He looked at Bella's horrified expression, making his decision. "Right, get you out." He then turned the keys again, smoothly this time. He quickly spun the truck around and towards the road out of the neighborhood.

That's when the headlights passed over a car parked across from the Swan Residence.

Bella gasped, reaching out towards Jacob, "Stop!" She got a good look when Jacob slammed on the brakes. The car was black, a car that Bella recognized. It was a Mercedes S55 AMG. She knew everything about that car because it was Carlisle's car.

Jacob looked over at her, looking at her as if she was crazy, "What? We have to get out of here, Bella!"

Bella shook her head vehemently, "It's not Victoria! I need to go home!"

Jacob looked at her in horror, "What?"

"It's Carlisle's car, It's the Cullens. I know it!"

Jacob would have almost preferred it to be Victoria than the fucking Cullens. He could handle one vampire but the whole damn family? Fuck!

Bella noticed how Jake was shaking, his head resting on the steering wheel. He looked like he might phase right there. "Hey, calm down, Jake. It's okay. No danger, see? Relax."

Jake sighed, breathing in deeply to try and force himself to focus. "Yeah, calm." He then glanced up at her, hissing almost. "There's a vampire or vampires in your house and you want to go back?"

Bella sounded surprised at his question, "Of course."

Jake's shocked expression hardened until he was grimacing. "You're sure it's not a trick?"

"It's not a trick, It's Carlisle. I know it is."

Jake glared at the black car before he opened the door, "I have to go and tell Sam. I can't stay here. Treaty or no treat, that's my enemy in there."

"It's not like that-"

"I have to tell Sam right away. This changes things. We can't be caught on their territory."

Bella groaned, "Jake, it's not a war!"

Jake ignored her and ran towards the woods, leaving the truck running. "Bye, Bella. I really hope you don't die!"

Bella sighed before she scooted over, driving the truck into her driveway. She shakingly approached her door, grabbing the spare keys from above the door. She then unlocked the door, opening it. The light was off in the hallway but vampires didn't need light to see. Bella stepped inside, trying to find the light switch blindly.

That was until the lights turned on, revealing three vampires in front of her.

Alice, Jasper and…

Hekate?!

{X}

Hekate watched as Bella raked her eyes over all of them. Bella then turned back to Hekate, noticing her eyes and how her skin was paler than she remembered. "H-Hekate? You… You're?"

Hekate sighed softly, "A vampire, yes." She then raised an eyebrow at her coven mates, wondering how Bella was even in front of them. She wasn't a vampire either, she should be dead.

Bella ran for the two women, hugging them both. Their hard bodies made her grunt but Bella didn't flinch. She had her arms around their necks, gasping loudly. "Alice, Hekate, Jasper!"

Alice looked up at Bella in shock but also relief. "Bella?"

Hekate could smell the tears before she heard Bella's gasps turn into sobs. She watched as Alice picked up Bella and ran to the couch, holding her. Bella continued to sob into her shoulder while Alice rubbed her back.

Hekate stepped back a little, staying close to Jasper. Bella's blood was calling to her, she smelled so amazing that she wanted to take just a small bite. However, she didn't want to hurt Bella. She also needed to calm down because Jasper was grimacing, hunching in on himself.

Hekate stopped breathing, holding Jasper's hand and gently squeezing. She spoke too softly for Bella to hear, "I'm okay, Jasper. You're okay."

Jasper was very shocked when Hekate's blood lust just disappeared when he grimaced, knowing she did it for him. He was always amazed by her control and compassion for them, even after all Hekate had been through. Jasper gently squeezed her hand back, nodding at her. "Thank you, Hekate…"

Bella had no idea the danger she had just been in, ignoring how Alice seemed to wrap herself around Bella to protect her. She just assumed Alice was holding her tighter to console her. "I'm… sorry, I'm just… so happy… to see you all!"

Alice continued rubbing her back, glad Jasper was there to calm her down. "It's okay, Bella. Everything's alright."

Bella sniffled as she began to calm down, most likely due to Jasper's ability. "Yes…"

Hekate tilted her head, looking Bella over. He hair seemed damp but she didn't seem hurt. "Why aren't you dead?" She realized how blunt that was but she didn't care all that much. Bella hadn't been a very good friend at all. Hekate was very depressed and sinking into a deep spiral that Bella never noticed. Bella and Edward seemed to be the very reason…

Hekate turned her head away from Bella, realizing where her thoughts were headed. She closed her eyes and tried to calm down. She thought of the fun times she had with her new coven, focusing on anything else but the negative thoughts threatening to take her over.

Bella, immune to Hekate's struggles still, jumped a little at the bluntness. "I could ask the same of you."

Alice shook her head, noticing how Hekate's jaw tensed. "You first, missy! Would you like to explain how you're still alive?"

Bella gulped as she looked down at Alice, "You saw me fall."

Alice narrowed her eyes, "No. I saw you jump." She then sighed, shaking her head. "I warned him about this happening again, he didn't believe me. He said Hekate tried because of her past. You were stronger than that."

Hekate growled loudly at that, letting Jasper pull her back into a hug. Hekate resisted a little at first before she closed her eyes, focusing on the calm feelings Jasper was sending her. "I'm fine."

Bella's eyes seemed to bulge from her face with how wide they got. "You-"

Alice cut her off, knowing Hekate wouldn't like to discuss that. "Ah, ah, ah! We're here about your little stunt, Bella." She sighed, "I promised Edward I wouldn't look for your future but that doesn't stop my visions. When I saw you jump I just acted. I took the plane to Seattle and drove here. I thought I would have been too late this time. Jasper and I wanted to help Charlie even if we were too late."

Hekate hadn't wanted to come at first but then felt bad about leaving the Whitlocks to handle everything alone. Peter and Charlotte were going to stay with her but Hekate decided to go with Alice. That let Peter and Charlotte travel for a little bit again, really hunt again.

Hekate frowned, "That's when we heard you pull up with Jacob. More like we smelled him, though." She didn't like their smell at all. It was worse than a normal wet-dog smell, something that made her want to run away from.

Jasper smirked softly, looking away from the girls. "It is quite… revolting."

Alice agreed with her husband before turning back to Bella, sighing. "I saw you go into the water, Bella. I never saw you come up, though."

Bella glanced at Hekate who was staring directly at her. "I didn't commit…" She gulped when Hekate's stare got more menacing. She turned to Alice again, "I jumped for fun. I'd seem some of Jacob's friends go cliff diving before. It looked like fun and I was bored…"

Bella sighed, rubbing her arm, "I didn't think about how the storm would affect the currents. I didn't think about the water much at all, actually." She saw Alice's and Hekate's expressions harden, knowing they didn't believe her. "If you saw me go in then why didn't you see Jacob pull me out? I would probably have drowned if he hadn't jumped in after me. I guess he towed me back to shore, though I was out for that. I was under for about a minute before he got me though, why didn't you see that?"

Alice frowned, thinking about it. "Someone pulled you out?"

"Yes, Jacob saved me."

Alice sniffed Bella and realized what it was. "That friend, Jacob, Hekate mentioned. He's the one that stinks so much."

Hekate spoke up, sighing softly. "He's a shapeshifter, a wolf." She looked out the window, wrinkling her nose. "I saw him run past the house."

Bella looked a little lost at that, seeming to deflate now that Hekate just revealed a huge secret. "Yeah… The Quileutes turn into wolves when there are vampires around. They know Carlisle from a long time ago. Were you with him back then?"

Hekate glanced at her two friends, curious about this as well. She got an idea from how curious Jasper looked. He probably wasn't there then.

Alice hummed softly, "That explains the smell, I guess, but not why I couldn't see…"

Bella frowned softly, "The smell?" She looked down at herself and seemed to sniff.

Alice shook her head, "You smell awful because of Jacob." She then frowned at her, "A shape-shifting wolf… Huh."

Bella shrugged gently, "I guess you weren't with Carlisle the last time there were werewolves here in Forks?"

Alice still looked lost in thought, wondering how her vision failed her. "No, I hadn't found him yet." She then looked up at Bella, chuckling. "Your best friend is a wolf. How long has that been going on?"

Bella thought about it, "Not long, he's only been a wolf for just a few weeks."

Alice rolled her eyes, "A young wolf, even better! Edward was right when he said you were a danger magnet."

Hekate snorted softly, agreeing with Alice. Bella seemed to have quite a few screws lose.

Bella grumbled, "There's nothing wrong with the wolves."

Hekate raised an eyebrow at her, "Until they get pissed. They're giant wolves, Bella."

Alice shook her head in dismay, "Leave it to you, Bella. We thought you would be better off when the vampires left town. But you hung out with the first monsters you could find."

Jasper noticed how irritated Bella was, frowning at her. Alice was just pointing out the obvious.

Bella shook her head, "Well, the vampires didn't really leave, not all of them, anyway. That's the whole trouble. If it weren't for the wolves, Victoria would have gotten me by now. If it weren't for Jake and his friends, Laurent would have gotten me before she could."

Hekate remembered who Victoria was from the stories, frowning. "Victoria and Laurent both?"

Jasper spoke up, sitting down on the loveseat. "Would you tell us the whole story, please?"

Hekate sat beside Jasper, crossing her legs over the other. She then placed her chin on her palm, resting her elbow on the loveseat arm. "I am interested in how you managed to escape two vampires."

Bella moved off Alice's lap, sitting on the other edge of the couch. She curled up in a blanket while she told them all the story. She seemed to be skipping certain things but told them a lot, ending with the cliff incident that day.

Alice seemed to be pissed when Bella told them that Victoria had almost grabbed her in the water that day. Hekate thought it was because Alice was close to Bella. Really, Alice found Bella a little grating now. She was really thinking about how she almost lost Bella too, if it weren't for those wolves. She had been too late to save both humans, though they had revived Hekate.

Jasper was interested in the wolves mostly and what happened to Laurent. He didn't seem to be interested in much else, something Hekate shared with him.

Bella then turned to Hekate when she was fed up with the silence, her tale long over. "Their leaving got to you too, huh?"

Hekate frowned at her, not understanding why she asked such a thing. Of course it bothered her. "Of course. Alice and Jasper are my best friends."

Bella nodded, "Yeah, but it was worse for you. I mean you killed yourself."

Hekate stood up quicker than Bella could blink, crossing to her. "Are you saying that you're stronger than I am for not trying to kill yourself?"

Bella frowned up at her, feeling like she should be scared but she was angry. Hekate was turned, by Alice and Jasper even, to a vampire. She wanted to be one and Hekate didn't! Why was she turned? Why did they come back for Hekate and not her?! "Yes."

Hekate growled loudly at her, ignoring Jasper's hand on her arm. "I'm not going to hurt her." She then glared down at Bella who seemed to be conflicted on her actions. "What traumatic events have happened in your life?" She then mocked Bella, speaking in a high pitch tone. "Oh no, my emo bastard of a boyfriend doesn't want to turn me into a vampire. I hate my boring human life with a loving family. I want to join the immortals even though my life is a happy one!" She then clenched her fists, "You don't know how it feels to go through what I have! You're such a shallow, pathetic bitch, Bella!"

Bella stood up, ignoring Alice who begged her to go to her room. "Edward is not a bastard and I'm not a bitch! I'm allowed to be mad when my supposed best friend comes back to Forks and doesn't see me! Did you have fun sight-seeing together?"

Hekate lunged for Bella, being held back by Jasper. He was grunting with the effort it took to keep Hekate away from Bella. He was quickly sliding back with Hekate's newborn strength and she was holding back. "Bella, back off!"

Hekate's eyes seemed to be glowing with fire as she growled at Bella. "I was dead, you selfish little bitch! They had to turn me after resuscitating me! I'm so sorry they were preoccupied with saving my life to join your pity party!"

Alice picked Bella up and carried her away, "Bella, I love you but you need to shut up. You're out of line and you need to calm down. We're not leaving yet, so relax." She then gently pushed Bella into her room, slamming the door. She ignored Bella calling out to her, running back to the living room.

Hekate was kneeled on the floor, crying into her hands. Jasper was kneeled behind her, his arms around her while whispering comforting words to her. He was using his ability to slowly calm her down as well but her emotions were so strong…

Alice kneeled in front of Hekate and kissed her forehead. "I'm so sorry, Hekate… Bella…" She sighed and hugged her tightly, trying to comfort her as well. "I'm sorry, Hekate…"

Jasper shushed Hekate as she tried to apologize, holding her closer when she tried to move away. "It's okay, Hekate. Just slowly relax, we're here for you."

Hekate let her friends hold her while she slowly began to calm down. She was doing her best to keep out the images of her friends dying, killing her father and the sick thoughts that plagued her before death. It was hard, especially with Bella bringing everything back up…

That's why she was glad Alice and Jasper were always there for her. They knew how to comfort her, how to bring her out of her moods. They were truly her best friends, she didn't know what she'd do without them.

{X}

Hekate heard Bella open her door and descend the stairs before she saw her. Bella had peeked into the living room, looking disappointed when she realized the Whitlocks were gone. Hekate slowly turned her gaze from the T.V. to the human. She narrowed her eyes before glancing back at the show. "Alice and Jasper went to go hunting. I stayed to keep an eye on you."

Bella gulped uneasily as she hovered in the doorway, "Is that… Is that a good idea with you…?"

Hekate glanced at her, sighing in aggravation. "I'm not going to drain you, or attack you, Bella. Sure, your blood smells good but I have more control than that. You're fine with me, which is why they left me here." She then smirked, looking back at her with a predatory grin on her face. "Although, you were pretty awful earlier. No one could blame me if I took a little bite." Hekate laughed loudly when Bella seemed to get paler, if possible, and begin shaking. "I'm joking. You pretty much disgust me now." She turned back to the T.V., ignoring Bella.

Bella gaped at Hekate before narrowing her eyes. She hmphed before stomping upstairs, taking a shower.

Hekate rolled her eyes, growling lowly to herself. She didn't know how she was friends with Bella before. She was probably too happy with her new friends to notice. Though, Edward seemed to have a monopoly on Bella. He treated her almost like a doll, one he kept to himself but expected everyone else to love too.

Her personality was as dull as a doll too. They were truly a match made in heaven, or hell.

Ugh.

{X}

Hekate had to put up with Bella continuously shying away from her while she waited on the Whitlocks. Bella heated up some gross casserole in the microwave, made up the couch for Alice to sleep on for appearances sake.

Hekate would definitely be spending the night in the Cullen's home with Jasper, not with Bella and Alice. She almost wished Alice would stay with them but didn't blame her. Bella was Alice's friend still, though she felt a little smug about Alice being annoyed at Bella.

She almost cried with relief when the couple walked through the door. Hekate ran to Jasper's side, glad to be away from Bella. She had kept glancing at her and asking questions about her transformation. Hekate had ignored her but the little human was persistent. "You're back, finally."

Jasper's lips pulled up at one end while he looked down at her, "My apologies, ma'am. Alice really needed the extra time to hunt."

Hekate noticed how light Alice's eyes and smiled softly, "It's okay… I understand."

Bella noticed how Hekate was inching towards the door, Jasper following her. "You're leaving?" Her voice nearly broke at the end, her small frame shivering.

Alice turned to her and gently shushed her, pulling her into a hug. "I'm staying the night with you, Bella. They're going to our home here. They'll be back in the morning."

Jasper nodded at Bella, using his ability to calm her down once again. "We'll be back, Bella. Alice will be here with you."

Hekate didn't say anything but nodded at Bella before heading outside. She called out a soft goodbye to Alice knowing she could hear her. "Finally, I was about to go crazy, Jasper!"

Jasper gently patted her shoulder as he got in the driver's seat. "I'm sorry about taking so long, Hekate. Alice really was struggling being around Bella. She wanted to keep her safe."

Hekate sunk down in the seat as Jasper sped off to the Cullen residence. "I know… I just hate her. She's such a bitch. She was capable of saying those things earlier but then acted terrified of me after you left. She's pathetic."

Jasper shook his head as he listened to Hekate ramble on and on, feeling amused at her fluctuating emotions. "We'll be back in Texas soon, Hekate. Then you can relax."

Hekate nodded softly, glancing out at the trees passing by. Somehow, she felt like something big was about to happen, though. She felt restless and anxious over something that hadn't happened yet. That feeling only got worse for the next day since Alice stayed with Bella the entire day, spending the night there again.

Jasper tried to distract Hekate when her anxiety got too bad, playing chess and other games with her. He told her more stories about his past or some of his travels with Peter. Hekate told him some stories of her life in New York, until the memories got too painful.

They broke into Emmett's old game systems and games, having a competition for a while. Hekate went for runs in the forest, staying away from the treaty line. Though she had stared over a small canyon curiously for an hour or so.

Jasper and Hekate watched a variety of movies together the second night, trying their best to waste time.

Finally, on the third day, Jasper and Hekate went to Bella's house when Alice texted them. Frankly, Hekate was still as bored there and more uncomfortable. Bella was in a cleaning mood and the chemicals were very strong to her senses. She ended up sitting by a window with the curtains drawn, so no one saw her. She sat there and read while she listened to the others.

Alice and Bella were quietly talking while Bella cleaned. Jasper was following them, wanting to be close to his wife and mate. Though Hekate could feel Jasper influencing her mood when Bella did something annoying. He and Alice were constantly checking on her, which she liked.

Sure, it could be a little much at times but Hekate knew they meant well. They didn't want her to relapse again into depression if they could help it. They also liked to shower her with affection now, something she also liked. Peter and Charlotte found it endearing as well. Jasper and Alice were like her siblings but also the parent-type-friends. Jasper made sure she hunted regularly enough to keep her thirst at bay, especially for a newborn. Alice loved to dress Hekate up, fix her hair and nails. They went shopping a lot together, having girl days with Charlotte.

Hekate missed being with their new coven.

Hekate was brought out of her thoughts when she heard a truck pulling up outside. She glanced out the window to see Jake getting out of the truck. She raised an eyebrow and glanced towards the others. "We have a wolf visitor!" She only called out for Bella's benefit, not that she deserved one. She could hear the scoff from outside, knowing Jake heard her comment.

Hekate smirked when the doorbell went off right after her sentence. She heard Bella stop scrubbing at the same time.

"Hold on!"

"Bella, it's not a good idea for me to be here with the wolf."

"You don't have to go anywhere, Alice. You were here first."

Alice laughed softly before it sounded darker, "Trust me. It wouldn't be a good idea to have us three and Jacob Black in a room together." Alice kissed Bella's cheek before heading downstairs. She motioned towards Hekate, Jasper on her heels.

Hekate kissed her teeth as she saw Bella heading towards the door. "We'll be nearby." She then followed her friends outside, the doorbell ringing again behind her.


	10. Chapter 10

_Thank you to: **Mep101** , **Silverdeaf1977** , **Hermonine** , **GawkyTC** , **Angel897** , **Markosgirl69** , **Lelleg** , **Aquarius Aniray** , **DarkAngel2581** , and **PlaidPajamas01** for reviewing! I really appreciate the feedback!_

* * *

 _Isabella is a stubborn bitch, haha._ _I hate her, if you can't tell._

 _I also can't wait to share the big moment with all of you! I hope it's worth the wait._

 _Aww, I'm so glad you guys like the relationship between Alice, Jasper and Hekate. It's quickly developing into a different type of bond if anyone is picking up on it? (Not romantic, btw.)_

 _ **Aquarius Aniray** , that's not stalker-ish, haha. I'm sorry my updates can sometimes not be frequent. I try to update as much as I can. I'm so glad you love the story, though!_

 _ **PlaidPajamas01** , I'm so glad you love it! I'll also tell you a 'secret'. The Kings are gonna call Bella(and Edward) out on their shit._

* * *

Hekate hid in the forest with Jasper and Alice, listening in to Bella's conversation with Jacob. Alice and Jasper were listening, more like. Hekate was leaning against a tree, daydreaming to pass the time.

That was until the three vampires heard a familiar voice over the phone line, the same moment Alice got a vision.

Jasper held his wife up, feeling the fear seeping from her. "Darlin? What's wrong?"

Alice's vision lasted a few more seconds before she turned to them, her eyes looking unfocused still. She looked panicked, very panicked. "We have to get Bella and leave now, It's Edward. He's such an idiot!" She then ran for the house, mumbling to Hekate to pack Bella a bag.

Hekate looked at Jasper, her jaw hanging down a little. "What the fuck…"

Jasper sighed softly, "It's better to just follow her and ask questions later."

Hekate hummed as she agreed with Jasper, running inside and up the stairs before the humans could see her. Though, she thought Jacob might have caught a glimpse of her. She wrinkled her nose at Bella's smell in her room. It made her throat burn but she ignored it, throwing some outfits in a bag. She slipped into the bathroom and shoved in everything Bella would need as well.

Hekate sighed when she walked downstairs, seeing Bella on the couch with Jacob. Jacob was shaking as he yelled at Alice. Jasper was trying to keep Alice calm while Alice tried to rouse Bella. Bella must have passed out on them when Alice mentioned Edward.

"What did you do to her?"

Alice snapped her fingers in Bella's face, looking worried and impatient. "Bella? Bella! Snap out of it! We have to hurry!"

Jacob growled at Alice, "Stay back."

Hekate dropped Bella's bag and glared down at Jacob, "If you growl at her again I will rip off your tail, puppy."

Jacob glared at her but shut up, feeling like he shouldn't argue with her. Hekate unnerved him more than her attitude.

Bella finally spoke up, sitting up a little. "Alice? What happened?" Even her voice sounded weak.

Alice groaned softly, rubbing the back of her neck. "I have no idea, Bella. He's such an idiot though, he's not thinking!" She pulled out her phone then, quickly dialing Rosalie. "Rose, I need to talk to Carlisle, now! … Fine, as soon as he's back. … No, I'll be on the jet. Look, have you heard anything from Edward?"

Hekate and Jasper both tensed up when they heard what Rosalie told Alice. Rosalie had told Edward Bella was dead, which caused whatever Alice saw in her vision.

Alice's expression got more horrified as Rosalie tried her best to explain why she told Edward. "Why? Why would you do that, Rosalie?!"

"He deserves to know she's dead and I was hoping he'd come back to us now!"

Alice's jaw tightened with anger, glaring off into the distance. "Well you're wrong on both counts, Rosalie, so that's a problem. Bella's fine… I was wrong, it's a long story…. You're wrong about that part too, that's why I'm calling… It's a bit late for that Rose, save your remorse for someone who believes it."

Hekate raised her eyebrows at Jasper, not having seen Alice this mad in a while. Though, Alice was always close with Edward.

Bella then spoke up, looking confused. "Alice… Carlisle is back, though… He called just before…" She trailed off as she watched Alice, everyone knowing what she meant.

Hekate shook her head, "That's wasn't Carlisle on the phone. It was Edward."

Bella turned her dark gaze to Jacob who remained still, surprisingly. "He asked for Charlie and I told him he wasn't here."

Alice narrowed her eyes at him, "That wasn't all. You told him Charlie was at the funeral."

Hekate realized what happened and rubbed her face. "You're both idiots, truly a match made in hell. Edward called to see if it was true or not. Now he thinks Charlie is at his daughter's funeral."

Alice sighed as she leaned against Jasper, "Rosalie told him you killed yourself. She did believe you were, in her defense. They rely on my sight far too much for something that works so imperfectly. But for her to track him down to tell him this! Didn't she realize… or care…?" She then trailed off, sounding more horrified.

Jasper looked at Bella weirdly, "You're not as upset as I thought you would be."

Bella shrugged gently, "It's really rotten timing but it will get straightened out. The next time he calls someone will tell him…. That I'm… not dead?"

Hekate raised an eyebrow at Bella, "Do you think he'd wait around? The poor idiot is in love with you…" She looked over at Alice as Alice's expression got more tortured. "He's going to try and kill himself, right?"

Alice looked to her coven mates, looking terrified. "He's going to Italy."

Bella stood up, crying out loudly, "No! No, no, no! He can't! He can't do that!"

Alice shook her head, "He made up his mind as soon as your friend confirmed that it was too late to save you."

Bella's body was shaking now, "But he… he left! He didn't want me anymore! What difference does it make now? He knew I would sometime!"

Jasper sighed softly, remembering the emotions he felt from Edward before they separated. "I doubt he ever planned to live past your death date, Bella…"

Bella was now seething, "How dare he!" She then elbowed her way around Jacob who was in-between her and Alice, "Oh get out of the way, Jacob!" She then turned to Alice, looking down at her. "What do we do? Can't we call him, can Carlisle?"

Alice shook her head, "That was the first thing I tried. He left his phone in a trash can in Rio, someone answered it…"

Hekate looked at the clock on the wall, thinking about how much time they were wasting. "Alice, we need to leave if we're going to make it."

Bella listened to Hekate before turning back to Alice, "Let's go then, whatever it is that we're doing!"

Alice frowned at her, looking uncertain now, "I don't think I could ask you to…"

Bella shook her head, "I don't care, ask me!"

Alice frowned up at Bella, touching her arm gently. "We may already be too late. I saw him going to the Volturi and asking to die…" She cringed with Bella while Bella began crying. "It all depends on what they choose. I can't see that until they make a decision."

Alice then looked up at Bella again, "They might say no, Aro is fond of Carlisle and wouldn't want to offend him. If they do, Edward has a backup plan. The Volturi are protective of their city. If Edward does something to upset the peace, he thinks they'll act to stop him. He's right, of course. They will stop him." She then leaned back into Jasper who appeared behind her, needing him to comfort her at the moment. "If they agree to grant his favor, we're too late. If they say no and he comes up with a plan to offend them quickly enough, we're too late. If he gives in to his more theatrical tendencies we might have time."

Bella nodded, "Okay, then let's go!"

Alice growled a little now, "Bella, listen to me! Whether we are in time or not, we will be in the heart of a Volturi city. I will be considered his accomplice if he is successful, Jasper and Hekate too. You will be a human who not only knows too much but also smells delicious. They will most likely kill us all."

Hekate cringed a little at the thought, pushing her powers down. "Though, Bella, you won't be killed so much as you will be drained for dinner."

Bella didn't seem to care about her life being in danger, yet again. "I'll go alone if you're afraid."

Hekate saw Alice was about to protest and rolled her eyes. "Alice, just let her come. She might stop Edward easier than we can. She obviously has no sense of self-preservation."

Alice sighed and nodded, glancing at Bella. "We need to leave now then. Hekate already packed you a bag. Write a note to Charlie."

Bella nodded, heading to the kitchen before she realized something, "Charlie!"

Jacob growled slightly, "I'm not going to let anything happen to Charlie. Screw the treaty."

Hekate snorted as she watched Bella smile at Jacob before running to the kitchen. She grabbed Bella's bag and carried it out to the car. "I'll be waiting on everyone." She got in the front seat, starting the car. She carelessly threw Bella's bag in the back, watching the house.

"Your darker side has come out a bit more since seeing Bella again."

Hekate sighed at Jasper, noticing him get in the passenger seat. "She's such a bitch…"

Jasper looked out the window to see Alice and Jacob arguing while waiting on Bella. He knew Alice could handle herself and Hekate was able to kill Jacob from where she was. That's why he could focus fully on his friend. "It's more than that. It's like your transformation helped bring out this other side of you. A side you pushed back out of fear, fear of your powers."

Hekate looked down at her hands that gripped the steering wheel. "Maybe… I hated myself for a long time after my dad…. I always wore gloves and didn't like physical contact… I guess I had been ignoring a huge part of me."

Jasper gently rubbed her arm, smiling softly at her. "It's alright. You've matured quite a bit since I've known you. I'm proud of you, Hekate."

Hekate smiled brightly at Jasper until Bella ruined the moment. She had just gotten into the backseat when Jacob leaned over the car, looking in at Bella.

"Please, Bella, I'm begging." Every vampire could smell Jacob's tears that hadn't fallen yet.

Bella's voice was shaking as she tried to speak, "Jake, I have to…"

Jake shook his head quickly, "You don't though, you really don't. You could stay here with me, you could stay alive, for me and Charlie."

Hekate sighed softly, looking back at Jacob. "I will start driving even if you don't move, Jacob."

Bella sniffled before she buckled herself in, Alice getting in beside her. Jacob frowned even more, barely able to speak now, "Don't die, Bella. Don't go, don't."

Bella let out a small sob then, reaching over and hugging Jake tightly. She let him brush her hair back before pulling away, "Bye, Jake… Sorry."

Jacob let out a small sob as Bella shut the door, watching as Hekate sped off down the road. He didn't wait long before he ran into the woods, shifting as he did.

{X}

Hekate was so happy the Cullens had a private jet that she could cry. Bella had been so anxious since they left, pestering her and Alice about the time. Hekate would have hurt Bella if she was trapped in a passenger flight with Bella for that long.

Even with all the space she had now it was still hard for Hekate. She was curled up on the couch, trying her best to read a book. Keyword, trying.

Bella was barely sitting still in her seat, always glancing at her phone to see what time it was.

Alice and Jasper were sitting across from each other at a table, talking too quietly for Bella to be able to hear.

"I can't be sure, I keep seeing him do different things. He keeps changing his mind on how… A killing spree through the city, attacking the guard, lifting a car over his head in the main square… Mostly things that would expose them. He knows that's the fastest way to force a reaction."

Jasper frowned at her before glancing at Hekate, "Why don't Hekate and I go after him? You can stay with Bella."

Alice shook her head quickly, "You can't, Jasper. If he sees any of us, what do you think he'll do?"

Jasper sighed softly, "Run or act immediately, drawing the Volturi's attention before we can stop him."

Alice nodded, "Exactly. I think Bella is the only chance, if there is one. We'll need to tell Emmett to prepare Esme and Carlisle… The odds aren't good."

Jasper nodded, reaching over and holding her hands. "We're going to get there in time to save Edward and we'll get out of Volterra alive, all of us."

Alice smiled softly at her husband, kissing his hands. "I'm glad you're here with me… I don't know what I would do without you."

Hekate tore her eyes away and ignored the sounds of their kissing. The tenderness she heard from both of them ate at her a little bit. She wished she had someone like that. She had those two but… She wanted someone who was her own. She then narrowed her eyes when Jasper sat across from her, placing her legs in his lap. "I'm not feeling depressed, Jasper."

Jasper chuckled softly at her irritation, glancing out the window while he rubbed her ankles. "I know, Hekate." He then motioned his head to where Bella and Alice were talking. "I'm not here because you got a little melancholy or lonely."

Hekate huffed softly, forgetting Jasper always kept track of her emotions. "I'm sorry."

Jasper gently patted her leg before he looked at the book she was reading, or trying to read. "It's quite alright, ma'am." He then smiled softly at her, "Do you think you'll be okay when we land? I'm sure we'll be around a lot of humans."

Hekate had been handling her transition very well but hadn't been in very large crowds yet. She wasn't sure how she reacted but she trusted herself and she trusted her friends. "I'll be okay. If not, I can always find a way out, or I have you there to help."

Jasper smiled softly at her, "You'll always have us, Hekate."

Hekate patted his hand until she heard the word Volturi.

"What makes them so much more dangerous than Emmett, Jasper, Rosalie, Hekate and you?"

Hekate frowned a little, wondering if her gifts made her as dangerous or more dangerous than some of the Volturi. It didn't seem like her gifts were common with how Alice, Jasper, Peter and Charlotte acted.

Alice sighed softly at Bella, raising an eyebrow. "I was surprised you recognized the name, that you understood immediately what I meant when I said he was going to Italy. I thought I would have to explain. How much did Edward tell you?"

Bella played with a string on her sleeve, "He just said they were an old, powerful family. They were like royalty. You didn't antagonize them unless you wanted to… die."

Alice nodded softly, "You have to understand… We Cullens are unique in more ways than you know. It's… abnormal for so many of us to live together in peace. It's the same for Tanya's family in the north. Carlisle speculates that abstaining makes it easier for us to be civilized, to form bonds based on love rather than survival or convenience. Of course, others still do form romantic bonds and find mates. However, when they become bloodthirsty, it makes it harder to focus on much else… Anyways, James' coven was large by most standards. You saw how easily Laurent left them. Vampires usually travel alone or in pairs. Carlisle's family is the biggest in existence, as far as I know, with the one exception. The Volturi."

Alice noticed Hekate and Jasper listening, smiling softly at Hekate. She always found them fascinating for some reason, even when Alice and Jasper had to teach her the rules they imposed on vampires.

"There were three of them originally: Aro, Caius and Marcus."

Bella frowned a little, remembering them. "I've seen them, in the picture in Carlisle's study."

Alice nodded softly, "Two females joined them over time and the five of them make up the royal family. I'm not sure but I suspect their age is what gives them the ability to live peacefully together. They are well over three thousand years old. Maybe it's their gifts that give them extra tolerance, except Caius. Aro and Marcus are talented like Hekate, Jasper and I. Maybe it's just their love of power that binds them together, which is most likely the case for Caius. Royalty is an apt description."

Bella frowned, noticing something, "You only mentioned five."

Hekate shook her head, "That's just the head of the Volturi."

Jasper frowned a little, "The Volturi have many members in the coven, including a substantial number making up the guard.

Bella raised her eyebrows, feeling a little more intimidated now. "That sounds… serious."

Hekate rolled her eyes, "Quite serious, as they exist to eliminate threats to the Volturi and the secrecy of vampirism." She smirked a little when Bella gulped.

Alice narrowed her eyes at Hekate before continuing. "There were nine members of the guard that were permanent, the last time we heard. Other are more, transitionary it seems. Many of them are gifted as well, with formidable gifts. Gifts that make what I can do look like a parlor trick. They're more up to par with Hekate's gifts. The Volturi chose them for their abilities, physical or otherwise."

Jasper frowned a little when he noticed they were almost to the airport. "They don't get into too many confrontations. No one would dare mess with them. The Volturi stay in Volterra, only leaving if duty calls."

Bella turned around to face him and Hekate, tilting her head. "Duty?"

Hekate glanced down at her book, laying it on her lap. "The Volturi are considered royalty because they rule over vampire kind. They enforce the rules or punish the vampires, or humans, who break those rules. They don't let anyone get away with breaking a single rule."

Bella's eyes got so wide it looked like they would pop out of her head. "There are rules?"

Hekate huffed, "Did you honestly think you could just be turned at random and do whatever you wanted as a supernatural being?" She turned to Bella and narrowed her eyes. "A newborn can wipe out a city on their own. Which is why vampires need to be kept in check." Bella looked paler than normal to Hekate, making her feel much better.

Alice chuckled softly as Bella mumbled about no one mentioning the rules. "The rules aren't that complicated, Bella. There's only one core restriction. If you think about it, you can probably figure it out for yourself."

Bella looked like she was actually trying but gave up, "Nope. I have no idea."

Hekate mumbled to herself, rolling her eyes, "Shocker there."

Alice sighed, rubbing her temples. She felt like Hekate's mother with how much she was sassing Bella. "Hekate, please." She then glanced at Bella, "All vampires have to keep our existence a secret."

Bella looked embarrassed, "Oh…"

Alice nodded, "It makes sense and most of us don't need policing. But, after a few centuries, sometimes one of us gets bored. Or crazy. I don't know. The Volturi will step in before it can compromise them, or the rest of us."

Bella bit at her lip anxiously before she realized that was a bad idea when surrounded by vampires. "So, Edward…"

Hekate looked out the window, rolling her eyes again. "Is using that law to force the Volturi into killing him. Which is what we've been talking about since Alice's vision. Come on, Bella."

Jasper smirked a little before glancing at the human. "They especially won't let Edward break a rule in their city. They city they've secretly held control over for three thousand years, since the time of the Etruscans. They're very protective of their city and don't allow hunting within the walls. It's probably the safest city in the world, from vampire attack at the very least."

Bella frowned at Jasper, ignoring Hekate's hateful remarks again. "They don't leave though. How do they eat?"

Alice nodded softly, grimacing a little. "They don't leave. They bring in their food from the outside, from quite far away sometimes. It gives their guard something to do when they're not out annihilating mavericks. Or protecting Volterra from exposure."

Bella sighed as she finished Alice's sentence, "From situations like this one, like Edward."

Hekate looked at Bella, looking uninterested. "I don't know if they're quite used to a angsty teenage vampire killing himself because his blood singer died. Especially after said emo vamp left the girl to die."

Bella glared at Hekate, getting to her feet. "He is not-"

Hekate glared back at Bella, getting to her feet as well. She was just beginning to make Bella's fingers go numb when Jasper pulled her back on the couch. "I really don't like her."

Jasper rubbed her arm, looking at Bella. "It's quite late Bella, you should get some rest."

Hekate ignored Alice talking to Bella while getting her a blanket and pillow. "Finally, some silence."

Jasper chuckled, patting her leg, handing her book to her. Hekate curled up against Jasper while she began reading, trying focus on the story and not Bella.

{X}

Hekate glanced over when Alice suddenly gasped loudly. Her eyes were glowing in the faint light from the cabin. "Alice?"

Bella sat up quickly from the seats, "Alice? What's wrong?"

Jasper flashed to his wife's side, rubbing her hands. "Darlin'?"

Alice smiled brightly at everyone, "Nothing's wrong. It's right. They're deliberating but they've decided to tell him no."

Bella frowned softly, speaking groggily with sleep. "The Volturi?"

Alice nodded, "Or course, Bella, keep up. I can see what they're going to say."

Jasper gently urged her, "Which is?"

Alice gently kissed his hand, "They're interested in him. They think his talent could be useful. They're going to offer him a place with them."

Jasper seemed really interested then, "Oh really?"

Alice nodded, "I can't see his response yet but I'll bet it's colorful." She then grinned again. "This is the first good news, the first break. They're intrigued. They truly don't want to destroy him. 'Wasteful' is the word Aro will use. That may be enough to force Edward to get creative. The longer he spends on his plans, the better for us."

Hekate turned out the rest of the conversation, humming as she thought about how the Volturi confrontation would be for Edward. She wished she could be there to watch just to see Edward face the elder vampires.

{X}

Bella woke up to the blinds being snapped shut on all the windows, all the vampires moving around. She groaned as he rubbed her face, "What's happening, Alice?"

Alice snapped the last one shut, turning to Bella. "They've told him no." Her enthusiasm was gone now, something Hekate and Jasper had noticed not long before. She hadn't said anything until now, though.

Bella clenched her pants in her hands, "What's he going to do?"

Alice frowned as she remembered her visions. "It was chaotic at first. I was only getting flickers, he was changing plans so quickly." She sighed, remembering the worst ones. "There was a bad hour…" She was whispering now, looking tortured which led to Jasper holding her tightly. "He'd decided to go hunting." She looked up at Bella, knowing she realized what she meant. "In the city. It got very close. He changed his mind at the last minute."

Bella frowned, looking down at the carpet, "He wouldn't want to disappoint Carlisle."

Alice sighed softly, leaning into her husband, "Probably…"

Bella sat up straight, brushing her hair back. "Will there be enough time?"

Alice thought about it. "I think so. We've gained a lot of time. If he sticks to his latest decision, at least."

Hekate raised an eyebrow. "What now?" She had heard Alice mumble about some of his plans, wondering which way Edward settled on. She didn't like Edward at all but it was hitting her a little hard now… She had killed herself and now Edward was trying to as well… It was bringing back bad memories for herself and the others too she was sure.

"He's just going to walk out into the sun."

Bella noticed the faint light hitting the windows, feeling panicked. "How could we possibly make it in time?"

Alice shook her head, "He's being dramatic. He wants the biggest audience possible. He's chosen the main plaza, under the clock tower. The walls are high there. He'll wait there until the sun is exactly overhead."

Bella relaxed a little. "So, we have until noon."

Alice nodded, "If we're lucky. If he sticks with this decision."

Hekate turned when the co-pilot called out to them over the speakers, "We'll be arriving very shortly. Please return to your seats and buckle up."

Making it through security was easy enough, especially since Jasper had his, Alice's and Hekate's passports with him. Bella had her own, thankfully. Jasper and Hekate left Bella with Alice while they got the car Jasper reserved on the way to the airport.

The car they chose made Bella's jaw drop when Hekate drove up to the curb edge, peering at Bella over her sunglasses. The car was a black Porsche with turbo written in cursive across the back. It was a sedan so it could fit all four of them, though. Hekate had a scarf around her hair and a light plaid jacket on. She also had leather gloves on. Her skin was all hidden from the sun that beat down on them.

Jasper was in a leather jacket, black shirt and jeans. He had leather gloves on as well. He got out and held open the door for Alice and Bella. "Ladies."

Bella quickly got inside while Alice scooted over for her. "Thank you." She then looked up at Hekate, "Did you steal this car?"

Hekate chuckled softly, "No. Jasper reserved it while on the way to the Washington airport."

Bella made an 'oh' sound that wasn't heard because Hekate revved the engine loudly, heading out of the airport and toward Volterra. She then turned to Alice, feeling anxious. "How far is it from Florence to Volterra?"

Alice glanced at the speedometer as Hekate floored it, "Hmm. Not that long with how fast we're driving."

Bella gulped when she realized Hekate was zooming around the traffic on the road, flying as she did. "What if we get stopped by the police or a roadblock?"

Alice tapped her temple, "Trust me. I can avoid the police and Hekate is going too fast to be stopped by a roadblock."

Hekate pressed the car to its limits as she zoomed through the Tuscan landscape. She was able to enjoy the views as she drove though, something she was thankful for. The landscape was truly beautiful. It was very different from New York but she preferred the open land and green everywhere.

It almost felt like coming home even though she had never left the United States in her life, as a human or vampire.

"Do you see anything more?"

Alice mumbled, looking through her visions. "There's something going on. Some kind of festival. The streets are full of people and red flags. What's the date today?"

Jasper glanced back at his wife, realizing what was going on. "It's the nineteenth, darlin."

Hekate chuckled, "It's Saint Marcus Day. This just got a lot more difficult."

Bella frowned, "What's that mean?"

Alice sighed, "The city holds a celebration every year. As the legend goes, a Christian missionary, Father Marcus, Marcus of the Volturi in fact, drove all the vampires from Volterra fifteen hundred years ago. The story claims he was martyred in Romania, still trying to drive away the vampire scourge. Of course, that's nonsense. He's never left the city. But that's where some of the superstitions about things like crosses and garlic come from. Father Marcus used them so successfully. Vampires don't trouble Volterra so they must work."

Jasper chuckled softly, "It's become more of a celebration of the city, a recognition of the police force. Volterra is an amazingly safe city, which they think is the police's work."

Hekate frowned in the rear-view mirror as she glanced at Bella. "This means the Volturi might go after Edward quicker than before. They won't stand for anything on a day like this."

Bella nodded, looking a bit more terrified but more determined. Hekate had to give the human some credit, she had guts.

"He's still planning on noon?"

"Yes. He's decided to wait, they're waiting for him."

Bella nodded, "Tell me what I have to do."

Alice shook her head, "You don't have to do anything. He just has to see you before he moves into the light. He has to see you before he sees any of us."

Bella frowned, "How are we going to work that?"

Hekate glanced back at Bella, "I'm going to get as close to the center of town as possible."

Alice nodded, "When she stops, you run in the direction I tell you, okay?"

Bella nodded softly. "Okay."

Alice smirked a little, "Try not to trip. We don't have time for a concussion today."

Hekate laughed when Bella groaned, everyone knowing how true the statement was. Her attention was then drawn to the city they were rapidly approaching. It was on the hill in front of them, the wall surrounding the entire city. It looked magnificent even with the flood of people heading into the city. "Volterra…" While her voice showed how amazed she was, Alice's voice sounded flat and cold when she whispered the town's name.


	11. Chapter 11

**_EDIT: I added a poll to my profile for chapter 12! I want to know what you guys really want to happen next chapter. You don't have to answer it but I would appreciate the feedback._**

* * *

 _I'm gonna hold of on doing another update for a while just to build up some more chapters! We also got to the long awaited chapter!_

* * *

 _Wow you guys reviewed a lot this past chapter! Thank you all so much: **Mep101, Littlevbigdreams, Marlastiano, Angel897, Lyryenn, Aquarius Aniray, SilverDeaf1977, Lady Syndra, Elvira Silver, Thorin No-Can-Shield, GawkyTC, Totaalt, Lelleg, Darkhunter11, Markosgirl69, Major Abigail Whitlock** and **guest**!_

* * *

 _It makes me so happy to know how much all of you love this story! I'm happy to be able to share this with all of you._

 _I don't think a lot of them appreciate The Volturi enough either. Carlisle might, but the others, definitely not. I'd hate to think what their world would be like without a governing body over vampires._

 _The kings meet her in the middle of the chapter, no worries! However, there is still a cliffhanger. ;)_

* * *

Hekate had to slow down as the traffic got more congested the higher they climbed towards the city. She couldn't weave anymore and had to slowly drive behind a little tan car. She narrowed her eyes at the car, wishing it wouldn't drive like a fucking snail.

Bella groaned when she saw the traffic, feeling more anxious, "Hekate, please!"

Alice rubbed Bella's arms, "It's the only way into the city, Bella."

Jasper used his ability to keep everyone calm, though he had to up the dosage for Bella. "We'll get there, Bella."

As they slowly crawled into the city they noticed cars parking on the sides of the road, people walking into the city from there. Hekate then realized why no one could drive into the city. "Well, shit."

Bella groaned, leaning up so she was beside Hekate, "Can you get around them or into the city?"

Hekate shook her head, glancing at Bella. "Not without running people over. You're going to have to run from here."

Bella nodded, sitting back and undoing her seatbelt. "Okay."

Alice turned to her, "Ask for the Palazzo dei Priori, follow their directions. Edward will be under the clocktower. There's a narrow alleyway to the right. He'll be the shadow there. You have to get his attention before he can move into the sun."

Jasper turned to her, "We'll try to find a back way in, we'll be there as soon as we can."

Bella nodded before taking in a deep breath. She then jumped out of the car and began running up the street. Hekate quickly made a U-turn before she was blocked in, heading back towards the main road. Hekate drove around the back end of the city, looking for a good spot.

Alice was wringing her wrists, her eyes closed as she tried her best to see anything at all. Jasper reached back and held one of her hands, squeezing it gently. "It'll be okay, Darlin."

Hekate saw a place in the wall that looked like they could climb over. It was also in the shade from a tall building looming over the wall. "Here we go." She parked the car and got out, looking up at it.

Alice narrowed her eyes while she touched the wall, "He's realized she's alive but Demetri and Felix are coming for him. Aro wants to talk."

Jasper frowned down at Alice, "We should get to them then." He then turned to Hekate, feeling anxious about bringing her into this situation. He felt responsible for keeping her safe since she was his creation… "Hekate, do you-" He sighed when Hekate just jumped up onto the wall, climbing over it. "Nevermind…"

Alice chuckled softly, "Did you honestly expect her to stay behind?"

Jasper sighed as he followed his wife over the wall, "No, but I needed to ask anyways."

Hekate rolled her eyes at them when they landed beside her. "Come on. Let's go save Romeo and Juliet."

{X}

The three of them arrived in the plaza just in time to see the two Volturi members caging in the couple. The man closer to Bella was the same height as Jasper. He had black hair, olive skin and looked like a male model. The man closer to Edward was very tall, towering over all of them. He had black hair too but looked like a Grecian version of Emmett. They both wore black cloaks that hid their skin so no light hit them.

Alice spoke up first as she entered the alley, "Let's behave ourselves, shall we? There are ladies present." She then moved to Edward's side, looking very casual. She didn't need to worry much since Jasper moved with her. He was standing between her and Felix, crossing his arms.

Hekate leaned against the other side of the alley, crossing her arms while she watched both Volturi members. "It does seem you're quite outnumbered now."

That was exactly what the Volturi members were thinking when the new vampires arrived. Now It was Demetri and Felix versus four vampires, including one newborn. Felix's expression turned from smug to bitter quickly.

Alice then tilted her head to outside the alley to the small crowd gathered that was watching them. "We're not alone."

Demetri glanced over his shoulder at the humans. He then shook his head, glancing back at Edward. "Please, Edward, let's be reasonable."

Edward pressed his lips together, "Let's. We'll leave quietly now, with no one the wiser."

Demetri sighed, sounding frustrated. "At least let us discuss this more privately." He grew more nervous when six more human men joined the group watching them.

Edward snapped his teeth shut, something everyone could hear. "No."

"Enough."

Hekate turned to see a small figure approaching them. She was even shorter than Alice. She was thin with short, pale-brown hair. Her features looked like they belonged on an angel but her eyes held menace in them, making her seem intimidating. Her cloak was as dark as Demetri's but darker than Felix's. Her presence calmed the men, Demetri and Felix relaxing. They stepped back from the Cullens, standing by Hekate on the other wall.

Hekate assumed the woman's abilities were very powerful because Edward seemed to give up when he saw her. The other two Volturi members also didn't seem worried about them now.

Edward sighed, sounding even more resigned than he looked. "Jane." Alice crossed her arms while she watched the small woman. Jasper was gently holding his wife, frowning softly.

Jane glanced at them and then at Hekate, looking her over. She then spoke in a monotone, "Follow me." She turned on her heels and walked back into the dark of the alleyway.

Felix smirked at all of them, motioning for them to go first. Alice sighed before following Jane, Jasper walking beside her and matching her pace. Edward gently led Bella as he followed his sister.

Demetri motioned for her to go, "If you would please."

Hekate nodded softly at the man, liking how polite he seemed. "Of course." She walked beside him as they followed the others. "I'm curious. How far did Edward make it?"

Demetri smirked a little, noticing Edward twitch ahead of them. "The sun barely touched his skin when the human girl slammed into him. It was quite dramatic."

Hekate laughed quietly at the image, shaking her head. Bella barely got there in time it seemed. She wondered what would have happened if she hadn't?

Demetri glanced down at her, raising an eyebrow. "I'm surprised the Cullens turned another human. It's been a while since they gained a member."

Hekate looked up at him before she noticed Jasper glancing back at her, looking a little worried. Not about having turned her but for her. "Well… I had to be turned to be saved… It wasn't a planned thing."

Demetri hummed softly as he listened to her. "You don't seem concerned."

Hekate glanced at the back of Edward and Bella's heads, narrowing her eyes. "I'm not." She then glanced back at him. "I'm Hekate. It's nice to meet you…?"

Demetri held out his hand to shake hers, smiling softly. "I'm Demetri, ma'am. It's nice to meet you as well." He liked her so far, so much more than the other Cullens. There was something different about her than the others.

Hekate then noticed the group stop in front of her. She peered around them to see the alleyway ended. She saw Alice slide down an uncovered hole in the street. She rolled her eyes when Jasper smirked at her, sliding down as well. "That's one way to enter a secret tunnel."

Demetri chuckled softly beside her, glancing down at her.

Hekate sighed when Bella leaned back against Edward, scared of the hole. Edward had to baby her to get her to drop into Alice's waiting arms. She watched Edward drop before rolling her eyes at Demetri. "I really don't like her."

Felix snickered by the hole, "I don't think you'll have to put up with her for much longer."

Hekate heard Edward growl and bared her teeth even though he wasn't by her. "Well, you all did break the rules." She then strolled up to the hole, dropping down easily. She saw Jasper waiting for her and smiled. "I guess Eddie got upset, huh?"

Jasper smirked a little, urging her forward to follow the others. "A bit."

The tunnel was very dark but Hekate could see thanks to being a vampire. The stones weren't even underneath her feet but she had mastered hew new grace, most of the time. The tunnel was cold and wet but it wouldn't bother vampires. Though, she was sure Bella was very uncomfortable.

She was uncomfortable with how touchy Edward was being with Bella. She felt nauseous watching and listening. He really was such a child. He broke Bella's heart, ran away from her because he was afraid. He then forbid his family from seeing her ever again as if he had control over her life. He then threw a bigger temper tantrum when she 'died.' Now he was acting like nothing happened and he was loving on her. Bella was letting him too! She would have beat him up and left him to live with the regret for the rest of his immortal life.

She really hated them.

Jasper kept sighing when Bella's anxiety spiked, calming her down repeatedly. Her anxiety and heart rate spiked when the tunnel sloped downward, to the point it was like a drum solo in the vampires' ears. Then when it got colder Bella began shivering, her teeth chattering from how cold she was.

When Edward let go of her she clung to him, crying out. "N-n-no!" Edward only sighed as he rubbed her arms, trying to use friction to warm her up.

Hekate rolled her eyes and slipped off her jacket. She then ran to Bella's side, handing it to her. "Here."

Bella shuddered before taking the coat and slipping it on. "T-thank you."

Hekate felt her heart melt a tiny bit and nodded. "Sure." She then fell back with Jasper and Demetri. She saw Demetri raise an eyebrow at her. "I only did it to make her shut up."

Jasper's lips pulled up at the ends, about to say how wrong that was. He was silenced by her glare, laughing softly.

The group had to stop when they came to a grate. The bars were thick, old and rusty but too heavy for any humans to move. Which is why they were built. They would stop any curious humans who managed to find the tunnels. Jane must have left them open when she went through, the group ducking under and heading through. Felix snapped the door shut behind all of them, locking it as well.

On the other end of the room was a big, wooden door. Hekate could see how thick it was as she neared it. It was tall as well, standing open to let the light inside. The hallway they entered was plain. The walls were an off shade of white. The carpet was a common gray carpet. Fluorescent lights were evenly spaced on the ceiling. At the end of the hallway Jane was waiting by an elevator.

As the group walked, Felix locked the door behind them again. Jane held the door open for everyone, well almost everyone. Felix, Jane, Edward, Bella and Alice went in the first one. Hekate, Jasper and Demetri waited on the second one.

Hekate turned to Demetri and smirked, "Why do vampires need an elevator for their secret exit out of the castle?"

Demetri chuckled softly, "We can be modern sometimes. Aro insisted upon it during one of the remodels." He then held open the door for them when the elevator arrived. When Demetri was inside the elevator he let his hood down, relaxing more.

Hekate frowned when the doors opened, feeling uneasy. It wasn't the nice reception area that caused that. It was the ghosts in the room. There were men and women floating around the room. Most of them had bite wounds on their necks and looked like they were in pain. They were just floating around until Hekate stepped into the room.

Then all their eyes turned to her, their milky white eyes. She shuddered when they began floating towards her. She had been in cemeteries before and seen quite a few ghosts. They never focused on her though. She couldn't make out individual voices but she could hear a lot of the same messages. Some were angry about their deaths, some were distraught and sad but couldn't move on. Some were just lost, not knowing who they were or what happened to them. Quite a few were angry at her too. They recognized her bright red eyes, the same eyes that had killed them.

Hekate missed the whole interaction between the human receptionist, she didn't notice walking through a set of double doors. She almost missed Jane talking to her brother, Alec. His hair was darker than Jane's. He was a bit taller than her as well.

Alec kissed his sister's cheeks before turning to the group, eyeing everyone. "They send you out for one and you come back with four and a half. Nice work." Jane laughed beautifully at the compliment. He then glanced at the familiar face. "Welcome back, Edward. You seem in a better mood."

Edward frowned slightly, sounding flat, "Marginally."

Alec smirked before glancing at Bella, "This is the cause of all the trouble?" He sounded very skeptical, wondering why that particular human was worth enough.

Edward tensed before glancing back at Felix. Felix was smirking, "Dibs." Edward growled lowly at him while Felix only beckoned him forward.

Hekate flinched at how the ghosts went crazy at that, thinking one of the vampires was going to drain Bella dry. They were all screaming at her to help the girl, getting furious when she didn't move. It took her a while to block them out, trying to push her powers down to focus. By that time the group was following the siblings down another hallway. They ignored the ornate, gold doorway. Jane walked further down the hallways and slid back a piece of paneling that exposed a plain door. Alec then held the door open for Jane and everyone else.

They entered a stone antechamber that wasn't very large. It then opened into a brighter, larger room. It was the large castle turret visible from aboveground. On the second story, there were slits in the rock that let in sunshine. It lit up the whole room, especially since there were no artificial lights. The room was also empty of furniture besides three thrones against the opposite curved wall. In the very middle of the room was a drain, used for draining the bodies and blood.

The worst thing was the ghosts in here. They were very angry, more like poltergeists. They were hovering around her, screaming at her and trying to attack her. They weren't physical yet so they couldn't hurt her. It was still very unnerving and it made her anxiety shoot through the roof. She was visibly shaking, backing up towards Jasper.

Jasper held her gently, whispering to her while Aro greeted Jane. "Hekate? What's wrong?"

Hekate turned to him, whimpering when a ghost tried to slash at Jasper's face. "The room is full of ghosts. They're trying to attack us… They've been tormenting me since we arrived on this floor." She then whimpered loudly when one of them screamed right in her face. She closed her eyes, venom tears pooling underneath.

Aro stopped talking when he heard the newborn begin whimpering. She didn't seem afraid of him or his coven, so why was she scared? She was curled into Jasper's chest, shaking and crying. Edward seemed confused but Alice didn't. She moved to Hekate's side, rubbing her back.

"Hekate, just ignore them, sweetheart."

Hekate looked at Alice, her face still angled away from him but he remembered her face from Edward's memories. Or her human face, rather. He knew Alice and Jasper turned her but Edward hadn't seen her since he left Forks. Aro then raised his eyebrows, feeling his heart clench in his chest when Hekate began sobbing.

Jasper couldn't stand the pain he was feeling from hearing Hekate cry. He held her tightly and used his ability, taking away all her emotions. He didn't like doing this to anyone because you felt entirely numb. It was unnerving normally but he thought Hekate could relax and calm down if she was almost catatonic.

Hekate gasped when she felt her emotions being wiped away, knowing it was Jasper. It still felt horrible feeling like a part of her was leeched away. She felt numb, weak and tired when Jasper pulled back. She closed her eyes, unable to see or hear the ghosts anymore. She didn't feel scared or anxious. She didn't feel anything. She didn't feel when she fell either, not knowing whose hands caught her.

She thought it was Alice or Jasper but when she opened her eyes, a pair of red eyes were looking down at her. Aro was holding her up. He was half kneeled on the floor, one arm under her back. The other was around her waist, holding her securely. He was very careful about not touching her skin, knowing how much of an invasion of privacy that was. He had long black hair then fell to his shoulders and framed his face beautifully. His skin looked like porcelain and shone beautifully in the sunlight. His lips pulled up into a gorgeous smile as he watched her look him over. He was like an angel above her.

"Mia cara, come ti senti?"

Hekate blinked, realizing he was speaking Italian, his voice sounding just as angelic as he looked. "Huh?"

Aro laughed softly, realizing she didn't speak Italian. Of course, she was very young. "How are you feeling, darling?"

Hekate felt like her heart was soaring in the clouds, butterflies were dancing in her stomach and she felt a grin form on her face. She didn't even notice that she had suppressed her gift somehow. "I'm better now…"

Aro grinned again, his perfectly white teeth gleaming in the light. "I'm so glad." He then gently held her stand up, rising with her.

Everyone in the room was very quiet, the only sound being Bella's breathing and heartrate. Aro had never been so interested in anyone, even Edward himself. Why was he suddenly caressing this newborn's face and calling her darling? It was different from the pet names he used for his coven.

Jasper was the only one who realized what was going on, besides Edward who read Aro's mind. He could feel the affection building from both. Aro's love for her was almost instant while Hekate's was building quickly.

Aro and Hekate were mates.

Hekate felt lost while she looked into Aro's eyes. That was until she remembered where she was. She cleared her throat and looked away from him, sure her face would have been red if she still had blood flow.

Aro smiled brightly at her, feeling the happiest he has ever been in his long life. He finally found his mate after three thousand years! It was an amazing feeling! Alas, he has business to conduct and he needed to be professional. He was the king after all. He kissed the back of Hekate's hand, over her gloves. He then stepped back to where he was before, facing the group again. He clapped his hands together, holding them together in front of him as if in prayer. "What a happy surprise! Jane, you brought: Alice, Bella, Jasper and Hekate too! Wonderful!" He then turned to Felix, nodding his head. "Felix, be a dear and tell my brothers about our company. I'm very sure they wouldn't want to miss this." His gaze was resting solely on Hekate on the last part of his sentence. He watched as Felix disappeared, back the way they came.

"You see, Edward?" Aro smiled at Edward, looking like he was still scolding him while smiling. "What did I tell you? Aren't you glad that I didn't grant your wish?" Aro himself was beyond ecstatic that he hadn't. Somehow it brought Hekate into his life.

Edward nodded, tightening his grip around Bella's waist. "Yes, Aro, I am."

Aro sighed happily, "I love a happy ending. They are so rare. But I want the whole story. How did this happen?" He then turned to the small woman beside his mate, "Alice? Your brother seemed to think you infallible, but apparently there was some mistake."

Alice smiled brightly at Aro, still a bit too happy about him being Hekate's mate. "Oh, I'm far from infallible. As you can see today, I cause problems as often as I cure them."

Aro shook his head, "You're too modest. I've seen some of your more amazing exploits." He then motioned to his mate and felt his smile breaking a little. He listened to the entire conversation Esme gave the Cullen family about Hekate. Alice and Jasper had rushed to Forks after Alice got a vision of Hekate killing herself. They had tried to arrive in time but were just shy of it. Thankfully, Hekate was resuscitated and changed into a vampire. He would always be in their debt for that. If Hekate had truly died that night, he would never have found his mate. "You saved dear Hekate from the clutches of death thanks to your gift. I've never observed anything like your talent. Wonderful!" He noticed the look Alice gave Edward and realized his mistake.

"My apologies. We haven't been introduced properly at all, have we? It's just that I feel like I know you already and I tend to get ahead of myself. Your brother introduced us yesterday, in a peculiar way. You see, I share some of your brother's talent, only I am limited in a way that he is not." He shook his head as he spoke, sounding envious of Edward's gift.

Edward didn't care much for it, speaking dryly. "Also, exponentially more powerful." He looked at Alice, explaining for her since she was confused. "Aro needs physical contact to hear your thoughts, but he hears much more than I do. You know I can only hear what's passing through your head in the moment. Aro hears every thought your mind has ever had."

Aro didn't miss the subtle conversation exchange between Edward and Alice. "But to be able to hear from a distance…" He sighed, gesturing toward them. "That would be so convenient." He then glanced over his shoulder, a large grin forming on his face. His brothers were about to enter the room. They would be receiving such a surprise!

Felix was back, two men floating behind him. They wore the same robes as Aro. They were both young, looking like they were changed in their mid-twenties. The shorter of the two, Caius, had platinum hair that barely touched his shoulders. His face was much sharper than the other kings. His lips were pulled into a scowl as he spotted Edward again. The tallest one, Marcus, had dark brown hair that fell in waves to his shoulders. His face was just as chiseled as the others but longer. His eyes seemed more vacant than the other two, however.

Aro giggled, sounding a little mad but he couldn't contain himself. "Brothers, look who I found." He then motioned to Hekate, which almost everyone was confused about.

Caius sighed, glancing briefly at the newborn beside Jasper. "Why would we care about a newborn who hasn't done an-" He paused when Hekate's eyes focused on his. He realized then why Aro was so ecstatic. As soon as his eyes met hers he knew who she was. He felt breathless even though he didn't need to breathe anymore. His heart that hadn't beat since his death felt like it was beating again. He felt nauseous but in a good way.

Marcus noticed his two brothers acting strangely regarding the woman and frowned, activating his gift. When he did he nearly fell over. Hekate had three thick cords connecting herself, himself, Aro and Caius together. They were a deep, rich, red signifying the type of bond it was. Hekate was their mate. She of course had other cords though the strongest besides their own was the bonds with Alice and Jasper. Their cords were just as thick but were a bright yellow, almost golden color. The thread between Hekate and Bella was frayed and black, turning a sickly green. Marcus didn't focus on them for long, overjoyed with their bond.

He hadn't felt this alive since his wife died, never believing he would find his true mate. Now, she was right there in front of him!

Aro grinned brightly at his brothers, seeing in their eyes that they realized what happened. "We can discuss certain matters later, brothers. Now." He then motioned to the reason they were gathered, "We must turn our attention to Edward and Bella. Isn't it great she's alive?"

Caius grunted when his attention was forced to shift from Hekate to Bella. He glared at Bella and Edward before standing beside his brother. Caius wanted to just kill them already so that they could focus on what really mattered, their mate. That gorgeous woman who already stole all their hearts. Marcus glanced at them before sighing, looking back at Hekate. Marcus didn't care what Aro decided to do with the couple, he just wanted to watch his mate and talk to her.

{X}

Hekate was having another sort of meltdown now. Three very gorgeous men were standing before her and her poor body couldn't handle it. Her heart felt like it was being squeezed to death. She felt so nervous she would be nauseous if she had been human. Aro was a dark angel, Caius was so gorgeous he should be a model and Marcus was so handsome she wanted to die. She just didn't know why her heart was yearning for all three men? She thought for sure that Aro was supposed to be her mate until she met Caius' gaze. Then she looked into Marcus' eyes and nearly cried. Why was her heart being torn apart between the three of them?

Aro glanced at Edward again and sighed, "It's just so difficult to understand, even now. How can you stand so close to her like that?"

Edward seemed calm for once, "It's not without effort."

Aro sighed, "But still, la tua cantante! What a waste!"

Edward chuckled dryly. "I look at it more as a price."

Aro raised an eyebrow, looking very skeptical. "A very high price."

"Opportunity cost."

Hekate rolled her eyes at Edward, something all three kings noticed. Aro knew Hekate hated Edward and Bella from Jane's thoughts. She had found it all quite humorous.

Aro glanced back at Edward, "But still… If I hadn't smelled her through your memories, I wouldn't have believed the call of anyone's blood could be so strong. I've never felt anything like it myself. Most of us would trade much for such a gift and yet you…"

Edward was sassing them now, "waste it."

Aro ignored his sarcasm, laughing, "Ah, how I miss my friend Carlisle! You remind me of him. Only he was not so angry."

Edward nearly rolled his eyes at that. "Carlisle outshines me in many other ways as well."

"I certainly never thought to see Carlisle bested for self-control of all things, but you put him to shame." He glanced at Hekate and wondered what her self-control was like. She hadn't once acted up around Bella or their secretary. She was still a newborn as well!

Edward frowned at them, getting impatient. "Hardly."

Aro hummed softly in response, "I am gratified by his success. Your memories of him are quite a gift for me, though they astonish me exceedingly. I am surprised by how it… pleases me, his success in this unorthodox path he's chosen. I expected that he would waste, weaken with time. I'd scoffed at his plan to find others who would share his peculiar vision." He glanced at Alice and Jasper, finding their history with Carlisle quite interesting. "Yet somehow, I'm happy to be wrong."

Aro continued with Edward didn't, "But your restraint! I did not know such strength was possible. To inure yourself against such a siren call, not just once but again and again. If I had not felt it myself, I would not have believed it possible. Just remembering how she appeals to you…" He chuckled softly, "It makes me thirsty." He smiled pleasantly when Edward and Bella tensed. "Don't be disturbed. I mean her no harm. But I am so curious about one thing in particular." He eyed Bella with interest, lifting one hand towards her with his palm up. "May I?"

Edward frowned, replying flatly. "Ask her."

Aro laughed, "Of course, how rude of me!" He turned to the human, "Bella, I'm fascinated that you are the one exception to Edward's impressive talent. So very interesting that such a thing should occur! I was wondering, since our talents are similar in many ways, if you would be so kind as to allow me to try, to see if you are an exception for me, as well?"

Hekate noticed Bella looked horrified and sighed. She noticed Jasper watching her and raised her eyebrow. "What is it?"

Jasper turned to her while Aro tried to read Bella's thoughts. "I'm just curious if Aro could read your thoughts clearly since Edward can't hear yours half the time."

Caius and Marcus both glanced at each other at this, very surprised that her mind protected herself in such a way.

Aro himself heard them but was focused on trying his best to read Bella's. He was very irritated that he couldn't but hid it well, except from Jasper and Edward of course. He stepped back, still having a pleasant smile on his face. "So very interesting." He then drifted back towards his brothers, standing with them. He glanced back at the group before him before shaking his head. "A first, I wonder if she is immune to our other talents… Jane, dear?"

Edward snarled quickly, holding Bella to him. "No!" He shook Alice's hand off when she tried to calm him.

Jane smiled happily up at Aro, "Yes, master?" She ignored how Edward was truly snarling now. He was outright glaring at Aro now, seething with anger.

Hekate tensed from her spot, twitching her hands as she watched Edward. She felt her gift activate without even trying when Edward threatened Aro. She unknowingly was growling as well.

Aro, Marcus and Caius smirked to themselves when Hekate growled at Edward, knowing she felt the pull as well. It pleased them very much, as well as how much she seemed to want to attack Edward.

Everyone else had gone very still and quiet. Everyone was surprised at Edward doing such a thing in front of the Volturi Kings. The guard, however, seemed a bit bloodthirsty. Felix was grinning hopefully, stepping forward, until Aro glanced at him. He then stood still, sulking silently.

Aro broke the silence, waving at Hekate first. "It is quite alright, cara mia." He smiled when Hekate seemed to relax, clearing her throat from embarrassment. He grinned even more at how cute she was. He then sighed as he turned to Jane. "I was wondering, my dear one, if Bella is immune to you as well." He watched with interest as Edward growled loudly again, hiding Bella behind him.

Jane then turned towards Bella and Edward with a beautiful smile on her face. She ignored Alice's cry for her to stop, glancing at Bella. That was until Edward launched himself at Jane. Jane was about to use her ability on him but didn't have to. Hekate was growling lowly while holding her hand out. She was using her ability on Edward, making his whole body go numb in an instant. She kept using her powers as she slowly walked towards him.

Edward gasped as he went limp, falling to the ground with a loud smack. He managed to glare at Hekate before she growled again, twisting her hand. He groaned loudly before crying out. It felt like fire was flowing through his veins as she slowly began killing him. "H-Hekate!"

Bella gasped loudly, turning to the woman, "Stop it! STOP IT!"

Jane's little jaw was dropped with awe at this woman's ability. It was quite like hers it seemed and she loved it, especially since she was using it on Edward of all vampires.

Alice was biting her lip roughly, torn between calming Hekate down, calming Bella down or scolding Hekate and forcing her to stop. She couldn't decide on who to go to. Hekate, her almost daughter, or Bella.

Jasper felt just as conflicted but didn't care much for Bella. He didn't know how to handle this. Edward had threatened Aro and one of the Volturi. Hekate was justified in her anger and he shouldn't punish her for that. Though, he couldn't let her kill Edward for it.

Caius had a sadistic grin on his face, moving closer to watch with interest. His mate just kept surprising him! Marcus was greatly impressed by her gift but felt bad that she was so visibly upset. Aro was in love with her and her gift. He didn't know how hard she was trying but still! What power she had control of! She easily brought Edward to his knees and he couldn't even move.

Hekate was standing beside him now, growling lowly at Edward. "What kind of idiot are you? You're trying to keep your human alive but then you were about to attack a Volturi guard?!"

Bella whimpered when Edward cried out again, turning toward the newborn. "Hekate, stop it! He didn't mean to!"

Hekate glanced at Bella and huffed, "Bullshit. He was going to attack that little girl! How ca-" She gasped when Edward jumped to his feet, wrapping his hand around her throat. He squeezed before slamming her to the ground. Hekate groaned when she felt the ground crack beneath her, her skin cracking as well from the impact. She opened her eyes quickly when he skin began to heal, searching for Edward.

Edward had realized what he had done far too late. He was staring at Hekate like he'd seen the ghosts that plagued her. He was shaking while slowly backing up. "I… Hekate, I'm sorry, I…" Hekate stood up and slowly began advancing towards him with murder in her eyes. For once Edward could hear her thoughts clearly, groaning at the images of his death playing in her mind.

Edward then turned around when he heard all the Volturi start growling very loudly. Edward had just attacked the Volturi Kings' mate in front of the entire Volturi. The guard and other members of the Volturi confirmed it with how badly the kings reacted.

Aro, Marcus and Caius all looked like they were barely keeping themselves standing still. They were baring their teeth and growling louder than anyone else in the room. The only reason they hadn't moved was because Hekate wasn't done with Edward yet.

Jasper himself was barely being restrained by Demetri who honestly wanted to let him go himself. Jasper was screaming insults and showing Edward images of how he was going to kill him when he got free.

Alice wasn't angry, she was disappointed and heartbroken. She loved Edward, loved in a past tense. He just attacked Hekate who was almost a daughter to her and her best friend. Edward was stupid, immature and didn't care for anyone but himself and sometimes Bella.

"Edward."

Edward slowly turned around when Hekate called his name, hearing Bella yelling for him to run. He barely had time to see Hekate's almost glowing eyes as she punched him right in the face. His skin broke while the force sent him to the ground and breaking the marble again. He got to his feet, stumbling a little while his body healed from the assault. "Hek-"

Hekate grabbed his arm and dragged him with her as she ran, slamming him into a wall next. The wall cracked next while Edward's arm ripped a little from the force and his skin cracked from the impact. She was seething while watching Edward crumple to the ground, Bella running to his side. She then glanced at Jasper, realizing how he was handling everything.

Jasper wasn't Jasper anymore, though. He was The Major and had to be held back by both Felix and Demetri. Alice was trying to calm him down but he was ignoring her. He would glance at Hekate but then would glare at Edward, roaring as he tried to get free.

Hekate didn't want to let go of her anger, she wanted to rip Edward apart. She wanted to yell and scream and cry but she couldn't. She was in the Volturi's castle, as their guest. She needed to be polite and calm. She also needed to be calm for Jasper. All her anger was adding to everyone's anger and making it worse for him.

Hekate ignored Edward and Bella, running to Jasper's side. He stopped fighting then, hugging Hekate tightly when Felix and Demetri let go of him. "I'm okay, Jasper…"

Jasper sighed as he held rubbed her back, glaring at Edward who was slowly getting to his knees. "I'm alright, Hekate… Thank you, though." He then glanced at the kings, gently nudging Hekate towards them. "I'm fine now."

Hekate glanced at Alice, seeing her smile softly. Hekate smiled before she turned, seeing the kings were no longer where they were. Aro was then tilting her head up gently, looking her over for any injuries. His eyes still held the anger in them from before but held more worry now. "I'm okay, Aro…" She saw Marcus and Caius forcing Edward to his knees in front of the thrones. He was groaning from the pain of both of his shoulders being crushed. She couldn't find it in her to care though.

Aro sighed as he brushed her hair back, "We were so worried… I barely kept myself from tearing him apart myself but knew you would want the honor." He then glanced at his brothers, "Though if you wish for us to do so we will."

Felix growled lowly at Edward, "Any of us will gladly kill him for you, Hekate." Jane sneered at Edward before glancing at Hekate, nodding her head.

Hekate flinched when Bella cried out to her, "Hekate, please! He didn't hurt you, it was a stupid mistake!"

Hekate turned to face her, her hand gripping Aro's arm to keep her grounded. "Didn't hurt me?" Hekate closed her eyes, squeezing Aro's arm as she tried her best not to cry. "Edward, ever the selfish brat of a vampire, forced his entire family to leave Forks for him. He took away my only friends left without a care for anyone else! I had no one Bella because you fell into some catatonic state! I was so tired of being alone, being afraid and having to push people away. I was tired of waiting for my friend's murderer to be brought to justice! I was so tired…"

Hekate felt the first tear fall down her cheek, feeling Aro pull her into his chest. She let him hide her from the others while she continued. "I was so tired that I gave up… Alice saw me killing myself in a vision and tried to save me… I died in front of them and they had to resuscitate me… They had to change me to save me even though neither of them thought they could. They did it to save me." She then gripped Aro's robes in her hands, trying to push down the negative thoughts. "Jasper and Alice saved me in more ways than one… But you and Edward are the reason I killed myself."

Aro's sorrowful expression turned to rage, snapping his gaze to Edward's. He didn't see any of this in Edward's thoughts and he wished he had. He could have saved his mate so much pain if he had killed Edward when he asked.

Marcus growled lowly at Edward while he crushed the bones to dust in his shoulder. Caius did the same on the other side, barely able to restrain himself from destroying Edward right there.

Aro looked down at his mate, frowning at the venom tears running down her porcelain cheeks. "Hekate… Edward has to die, as does Bella. They both broke our rules on secrecy. Edward attacked my mate and directly caused her death as a human, as did his singer. Do you disagree?"

Hekate glanced back at the couple who were too shocked to react just yet. "No."


	12. Chapter 12

_I want to send a huge thank you to: tmitwihard15, littlevbigdreams, mated-to-a-yautja, misaai, roserain1998, silverdeaf1977, Lyryenn, Mrs. VampDiva Belikov, Aquarius aniray, GawkyTC, Gemini's Revenge, DarkAngel2581, Marlastiano, Angel897, Chelsnichole12, emagirl20041, CrystalVixen93, Lelleg, hermonine, AnonAnon, animemangaobsessed, Welisarne, guests!_

 _That's 24 reviews, guys! Just wow._

* * *

As for the poll, I'm surprised that the people who responded were pacifists! You all seemed like you wanted them dead, haha. I'll leave the poll up for a little while in case someone wants to voice an opinion. But, the decision is made in this chapter so nothing will change.

(Also, to those who took the poll. You were spot on as this chapter was already written!)

* * *

 _I decided to go ahead and update but this is the last chapter I have finished. I'm trying to work through ch 13 but it's proving difficult. (I'm in no way, shape or form saying I'm gonna stop. I just need some more inspiration to form this little bridge between plot points. Don't worry!)_

 _I'm also finally getting through the wedding in Safe and Sound if any of you ready that story._

* * *

Alice's worried expression turned to horrified when Hekate said no. She didn't blame Hekate but she didn't want Edward to die. She couldn't see a way around it, however. Edward had clearly broken a major rule of their world and attacked the future queen of the Volturi. Both were death sentences.

Jasper was neutral now. He didn't think he'd ever like Edward again. He had attacked Hekate and for that he would never forgive him. He didn't mind too much either way. He just thought about Alice, Carlisle and Esme. They all loved Edward dearly. Or Alice had. He didn't know if she still did or not.

The Volturi guard and other members all relaxed when Aro ordered for Edward's death and Hekate agreed. They were waiting anxiously for the moment, eager to watch.

Caius was smirking devilishly down at Edward, keeping him very still. "No one's going to save you now, Edward."

Marcus expression looked darker than even Caius'. He didn't say anything but his grip said it all. He kept crushing Edward's bones when they began to form again.

Aro moved to head to their side, planning on ripping Edward's head from his body. That was until he was stopped by Hekate grabbing his hand. He didn't have enough time to stop his powers, seeing every memory and thought his dear mate had ever had.

He saw Hekate kill a dog when she was little, then her father by accident. He saw her be bullied in school for her name and how odd she was. She always wore gloves no matter what she wore or what time of the year.

He saw Hekate become close with Mariana only to lose her tragically. He felt her pain and loss. He felt the fear she felt while she ran. He felt the loneliness she felt when she had to leave her mother and move to a new city.

He was so grateful for the Cullens for becoming Hekate's friends. She needed them. That's why the anger he felt towards Edward and Bella seemed to double in intensity. Edward acted like the immature child he was and made the Cullens leave forks, leaving Hekate all alone again! That was the reason Hekate became depressed and led to her committing suicide. He didn't know exactly how that happened when she said it, he saw now though.

Bella's part confused Aro until now as well. Bella was a very selfish human. She was dependent on Hekate for a long time after Edward left. Bella never thanked her or saw how Hekate was spiraling. Then when Bella found out Hekate was alive, she acted horribly towards his mate! Oh, the foul language she used. He wanted to rip Bella's tongue out for the horrible things she said to Hekate.

His anger dissipated only slightly when he heard every thought she had about himself and his brothers. She didn't realize she was their mate but she did have feelings for all three of them. It was the pull of the bond between them. He also felt quite proud she considered him angelic.

Aro opened his eyes when he read her last thoughts, knowing she trusted him with her memories and thoughts. He smiled softly at her, kissing the back of her hand. "Cara mia…"

Hekate smiled slightly at him before glancing at Edward, then at Bella. She was being held back by a female guard member, silently staring at Edward with tears falling silently. She desperately wanted them dead. They were despicable people and truly broke the law, but…

Hekate glanced at Alice, seeing the heartbreak in her eyes. She could only imagine how Carlisle and Esme would react. Edward was their child, their loved one. No matter how awful Edward was, he was their son… Carlisle and Esme were very kind to her and treated her like family. They made her feel safe when she hadn't in a very long time… They didn't deserve the pain of losing their son, no matter the pain Edward and Bella caused her.

Hekate sighed while she closed her eyes, trying not to go back on her decision. "Wait, please, Aro…"

Aro had just placed his hands on Edward's face, having finished hearing his thoughts. He glared at Edward before glancing at his mate. "Yes, dear?"

Hekate didn't open her eyes, afraid she would change her mind when she saw them. "Don't kill them."

Caius gaped at her, turning to face her. "What!?"

Marcus frowned softly, "You don't need to worry dear, we'll take care of him for you. You and your family won't be in any trouble."

Aro nodded, "Of course, Hekate. They deserve this."

Hekate nodded her head, "I know they do… but, their family doesn't." She opened her eyes and looked at Alice. "Carlisle and Esme love Edward very much and I don't want them to go through that pain." She then frowned softly at Alice, "Alice mentioned changing Bella herself. If Bella is to be turned into a vampire, can Edward be cleared of his charges regarding our secret?"

Aro glanced at his brothers before sighing, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Even if we clear him of that charge, he still attacked you and caused your death."

Hekate nodded, hugging herself. "I know… Trust me, I know." She stared down at the floor, trying to stay calm. "Please… just let them go. You could make it conditional. If Bella isn't turned into a vampire by a certain date, kill them. If Edward screws up once more, kill him. I don't care. But today, let them go…"

Bella's tears stopped now, looking shocked as she watched the Volturi and Hekate. She knew Hekate hated her and she hated her too, but… Edward had hurt her so many times, and she reluctantly admitted she had too. It would have been so easy for her to let the kings kill them, no one would go after her for it. She was sure the guards would make sure no one found anything of her. She still didn't like Hekate but she was giving them a chance… One she didn't intend to fuck up, if the kings let her have it too.

Edward was still grimacing from the tight grip of Marcus and Caius. He was trying his best to listen in to Hekate but she was still too hard to read. Aro and his brothers though he could hear clearly, wincing at how badly they just wanted to rip him apart.

Aro was visibly torn. He wanted to give in to Hekate, to make her happy. He wanted that beautiful smile on her face again. He also wanted to rip the smile from Edward's very face by ripping him apart. He wanted to make him watch as someone drained Bella in front of him. He wanted to kill them with his brothers, to get revenge for their mate. To punish those who hurt her so deeply.

But if he did, would they be the ones to hurt her?

Aro glanced at Caius and Marcus to see them slowly coming to the same conclusion. He glanced down at Edward, motioning for Bella to be brought forward. She was pushed to her knees beside Edward, forced to look up at the mates. Felix and Demetri took over holding Edward still.

Caius growled loudly at Edward. "The Volturi do not give second chances. Do not make a single mistake from here on out."

Marcus narrowed his eyes at him and Bella, looking into their eyes as he spoke to make sure they realized how serious they were. "We will be checking in on you. Do not think we won't."

Aro motioned towards them both. "Bella will be changed soon or we will hunt you down and kill you both." He then glared at both. "You will also stay far away from our mate. If you ever hurt her again, death would be a blessing for the both of you. A blessing you would never see again."

Bella visibly shuddered with the promise in Aro's eyes. Edward looked utterly defeated and broken beside her. He didn't even flinch at anything they said, only nodding in agreement. He could see how serious they were and the scenarios they were dreaming up. He didn't have any wiggle room now. If he so much as tip-toed over a line, they would be killed.

Aro's gaze was brought up when he heard humans and Heidi approaching their room. He sighed deeply before gazing down at the two before him. "Heidi will be here very soon. You two should leave. Accidents do happen. Please do wait below until sunlight, lest you want to tempt fate."

Edward nodded grimly, slowly rising to his feet. He numbly caught the coat a lower guard member threw at him, escorting Bella quickly out of the room. Demetri walked behind them, glaring heatedly as he did. He only felt slightly better when Edward kept flinching from Demetri's dark thoughts.

Marcus then ran to Hekate's side, brushing her tears away with his thumbs. "My dear, I do not know if you drink human blood or not. If you wish to wait in another area of the castle until we are done, you can."

Hekate nodded, grimacing at the burning building in her throat. There were so many humans approaching the room. She had been through too much that day to keep her control up for much longer. "Thank you… I'd like to wait it out."

Caius gently kissed her temple, hugging her gently. "You can wait with your family in the library if you wish. We will join you when we are done."

Aro nodded, gently kissing the back of her hand. "We have much to discuss… For now, please, rest. You need it after such a grueling day."

Jasper came up to Hekate, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "We'll watch over her."

Aro smiled sadly, "Yes, I know she's in good hands." He turned to Felix. "We will save you some. For now, please escort our guests to the library."

Felix nodded, "Of course, master." He bowed his head to him and Hekate before quickly leading them deeper into the castle.

Hekate honestly should have been more freaked out about everything that happened that day. She just felt exhausted though. She just wanted to curl up with Jasper and Alice and relax. She managed to thank Felix when they arrived before finding a couch. She sat in the middle, curled up against Jasper's side while Alice gently played with her hair, curled up against her. Hekate sighed softly as she closed her eyes, finally relaxing after a very long and difficult day.

No one spoke for a while, needing the time to wind down with each other. Alice was the one to break it first. She smiled mischievously up at Hekate. "You got your first boyfriends."

Hekate groaned, using her hair to cover her face. "Alice…"

Jasper chuckled. "You four were quite cute."

Hekate groaned some more, "Guys… Come on."

Alice giggled as she sat up, "So. What did it feel like when you saw each of them for the first time?"

Hekate smiled as she thought about it, knowing she would be blushing if she could. "Amazing… I felt like I was floating but they were the only person tethering me to earth." She then smiled shyly at the both of them. "They're all so gorgeous… Aro seems like an eccentric teddy bear and looks like an angel. Marcus looks like a model but seems like a big softie. Caius looks like a Greek god. I think he has a softer side but he doesn't show it a lot…"

Jasper smiled softly at Alice, feeling a little sad about Hekate getting her mates because she would be leaving them soon. He was proud of her for how she handled today and happy for her. He just didn't want her to leave them yet.

Alice leaned into Hekate's side, batting her eyelashes up at her. "Did your mom ever give you _the_ talk."

Hekate shot up and covered her ears, singing to herself to block out anything Alice could say. "Oh my god, mom!"

Jasper was laughing but then stopped with what Hekate said. He looked down at his wife and saw her grin turn to a bright smile. He smiled with her, holding his wife close. "I know."

Alice kissed Jasper's cheek as she watched their daughter stalk around the room, mumbling to herself and still blocking her ears. "I'm gonna miss her…"

Jasper sighed softly as he watched Hekate as well, kissing Alice's head. "Me too, Darlin. Me too…"

{X}

Aro raised an eyebrow as he approached the library, hearing Hekate singing some song to herself.

"I don't mind spending every day out on your corner in the pouring rain."

Marcus smiled softly at how beautiful her voice sounded, rocking slightly outside the door. Caius was smiling softly as well, his tense muscles slowly relaxing.

"Then to put on the condom you have to p-"

"LOOK FOR THE GIRL WITH THE BROKEN SMILE. ASK HER IF SHE WANTS TO STAY AWHILE."

"You have to make sure there is room at the tip f-"

"AND SHE WILL BE LOVED. AND SHE WILL BE LOVED." Hekate then began pacing around again, something the kings could hear.

Aro laughed silently at how Alice was teasing their mate. Marcus was biting his lip to keep from grinning, finding it humorous as well. Caius had a shit eating grin on his face, trying his best not to laugh.

"Alice, It's a bit too soon for this talk."

"She called Caius a Greek god. What if she can't control herself?"

Caius laughed loudly then until there was a squeak and crash from somewhere in the library. Aro quickly opened the door and walked inside, worried because Hekate was the one who squeaked. The sight that greeted them was not what they expected at all.

Alice was laughing loudly while leaning over the back of a couch. Jasper was standing behind Hekate, laughing quietly. Hekate was laying on top of a coffee table, or what used to be a coffee table. Her arms and legs were spread out around her while the furniture was crushed beneath her. When Hekate heard Caius laugh she realized what they had heard, tripping from being so surprised and embarrassed. She tripped on the rug and fell onto the table, breaking it as she fell.

Hekate groaned when she heard the kings approaching the area she was in, "Jasper. Just leave me here. I give up."

Caius chuckled softly, kneeling in front of her. He gently tilted her head up and smirked at her, "Greek god?"

Hekate pouted up at him. "Kick a girl while she's down, huh?"

Aro laughed softly as he sat down on a couch across from Alice. "Interesting conversation topic."

Marcus sighed as he picked Hekate up and held her in a bridal hold. "We shouldn't tease her so much after this rough of a day."

Hekate raised an eyebrow at Caius who sighed, rolling his eyes a little. She then leaned against Marcus since he was comfy, enjoying being held.

Aro leaned back against the couch, crossing one leg over the other. He clasped his hands while glancing over at Jasper and Alice. "I realize we've come to a slight problem…"

Hekate frowned up at Marcus, feeling panicked. "They didn't do anything! You can't punish them!"

Marcus shushed her, gently kissing her forehead. "No one's in trouble."

Hekate sighed and laid her palm over her eyes, "Okay, good." Her nerves were too shot for any more stress that day, seriously.

Caius crossed his arms while he watched her and her coven mates. "We want you to stay here with us, Hekate."

Hekate's eyes opened up immediately, shooting up in Marcus' arms. She glanced over at Jasper and Alice, feeling her heart clenching in her test. That meant she couldn't be with her coven anymore. She wouldn't have any story nights with Peter and Jasper. She, Alice and Charlotte couldn't have any more shopping trips or makeovers.

What if she had another episode? Alice and Jasper wouldn't be there for her! She'd have to face it alone… Alice and Jasper would be leaving her, again. They were leaving her again!

Hekate didn't notice Marcus had moved until she was laid down on a couch. She looked up to see Marcus hovering behind the couch and leaning over it to watch her worriedly. Caius was behind her head, brushing her hair back and talking to someone else. He looked angry but worried. Aro had a hold of her hand, watching her intently while talking to someone else too.

Where was Jasper? Where was Alice? Did they leave already!? They couldn't have, she needed them!

Hekate tried to sit up but Caius held her down gently, "Hekate, love, please. Be careful."

Hekate whimpered when Caius held her down, looking around but she couldn't see around her mates. "Jasper? Alice?"

Marcus gently brushed her hair back, "They're still here, Hekate."

Jasper moved around Aro and leaned over her. "I'm right here, Hekate."

Hekate let out a small sob when she saw him, closing her eyes. "I thought you left… I can't lose you two again. I can't handle the thought of you leaving me."

Aro turned to them, seeing everything she meant and it broke his heart. There was no way they could ask Hekate to stay with them. She was still recovering from her depression and it affected her deeply. Her bond with Alice and Jasper was very strong but she was dependent on them still.

Jasper gently pulled Hekate into a hug, thanking Caius who helped her sit up. "We're not leaving you, Hekate."

Alice squeezed in and leaned against Hekate's side. "No one's leaving you, sweetheart."

Hekate felt Jasper slowly calming her down, something she was very grateful for. "Okay…." She then hid her face again, feeling embarrassed now. She had basically had a panic attack in front of her mates when they had just met. She really had been through too much that day. She wished she got a re-do on the whole day, maybe then it could go smoothly.

Aro gently rubbed Hekate's arm before leading his brothers away. "We have to let Hekate go home with them."

Caius frowned deeply at his brother, "What? We just found our mate after three thousand years and we're just supposed to let her go?"

Marcus gently rubbed Caius' shoulder, "Not permanently, Caius. You saw how much she needs them. You should see their bond. It's stronger than the bond between mother and child. They're her best friends and her new parents."

Aro nodded, frowning softly. "She's young and has been through very traumatic things in her life. We must be gentle and slow with how we proceed, brother. We can't tear her from them."

Caius sighed softly, glancing over to see Hekate whispering to Alice, looking embarrassed and shy now. He smiled softly when Hekate smiled at him. He felt his heart melt a bit more at how beautiful her smile was. He turned back to Aro and nodded slowly. "I understand… I don't like it but I understand."

Marcus thought about it, "We could visit Hekate in her home first. One of us could stay here and then alternate. They could visit us sometimes. It would help Hekate feel comfortable with us, with our home. Eventually she may feel comfortable staying with us permanently."

Aro nodded, thinking about how to make it work. "I agree, Marcus." He then smiled softly, "It also gives us time to win her affections and get to know her. To let her get to know us, away from our roles as kings."

Caius glanced back at Hekate to see her laughing at something Jasper said, leaning into Alice while the pixie fixed Hekate's hair back into a braid. "Yes…"

Aro grinned with how transfixed Caius was with Hekate. They all were. She was the most beautiful woman they had ever seen. Every smile she gave them nearly made them melt before her. Every time she laughed it was like the sun shining for the first time. She really was their entire world. They only hoped they would be hers soon.


	13. Chapter 13

**_Angel897, Marlastiano, Chelsnichole12, Helsdeep, Marleemiller5796, Silverdeaf1977, Zigra1825, Lyryenn, Markosgirl69, CrystalVixen93, IrisMikaelson!_**

 _Thank you guys so much for all the love and support! It means a lot!_

* * *

 _The next chapter will be when the first date happens! Anyone want to take a guess as to who the first king to visit is? ;) They'll have a FAIRly good time._

 _ **IrisMikaelson** : I'm so sorry, I didn't even realize! I think I fixed it in this chapter and the next. Most of my knowledge is from the movies, though I've read a lot of chapters because of Safe and Sound (most of the last book was actually from the book. Lord.) I also have a huge crush on Aro, and his hair._

 _Another point someone made. Hekate loves her coven and family, she's not going to leave them. She will eventually move in with the kings but that doesn't mean they're not her family anymore. They'll be spending a lot of time together still._

 _And yes, time will be slowing down now. I plan on building up some romance and bonding between now and the events of Eclipse._

 _ALSO! Guys! I posted a side series for QotCr if you haven't seen it yet. If you have any drabble requests, I'm all ears! I love writing these things._

* * *

Hekate relaxed with Jasper and Alice for a while before she felt too restless. She said she was going to go walk around, leaving the library. She was surprised to see that Jane was standing outside the door. "Hello, Jane."

Jane bowed her head to her, "Mistress."

Hekate frowned softly at that, feeling very uncomfortable with that title. "You don't need to call me that, Jane."

Jane looked up at her, her lips pulled down a little at the ends. "You're the masters' mate, our future queen. What would you prefer I call you?"

Hekate thought about it, knowing the Volturi were very formal at times. "Could you just call me Hekate when alone? Maybe just ma'am otherwise?"

Jane frowned more before slowly nodding. "Of course, Hekate."

Hekate smiled and began walking down the hallway to the right. She then paused when Jane began following her. "Is there something you need, Jane?"

Jane shook her head, standing still. "No, ma'am. I'm your guard until you leave Volterra."

Hekate raised her eyebrows, "Guard? Are there other vampires here?"

Jane shook her head again, "No, ma'am. All the kings, and now you, have personal guards. There isn't a set guard for you yet so we're taking shifts."

Hekate slowly nodded, "Oh… Okay." She then smiled softly at Jane as she began walking again. "I hope I didn't make you mad earlier when I attacked Edward. I knew you could handle yourself but he just makes me so mad." Her smile slowly turned into a grimace, her eyes narrowing at the stone walls ahead of them.

Jane shook her head, a sadistic smirk forming on her face. "I enjoyed it actually." She then glanced up at Hekate as they walked. She felt touched that Hekate protected her, not that she needed it of course. Her powers were amazing too! She hadn't displayed all her powers she was sure but still, Hekate had a lot of promise. She hoped Aro would send them out on a mission together or have them torture someone together. That would be really fun.

Hekate glanced down at her and smiled softly, "So… What does the guard do during their time off?"

Jane smiled as she followed the hallway. "Well, we train a lot of the time. When it's dark out we can go out into Volterra or cities in this continent. There's a game room that Felix, Alec and Afton enjoy. There's a theater too. I like to go shopping, as does Chelsea, Heidi, Athenadora and Sulpicia. Demetri likes fashion as well but likes going out and flirting with people in bars."

Hekate laughed softly, finding it all amusing but nice. She was sure a lot of people didn't think the Volturi could be normal. Though… She wondered what the kings did in their down time. She hadn't heard from them after they left her to rest some more…

She sighed softly as she thought about it all. She hadn't really had time to sit down and realize what happened today. She pushed away all the negativity of the day, focusing on the positive things.

Hekate had found not only one mate but three! They seemed to be falling for her just as quickly as she was falling for them. She didn't like physical contact usually but she never once felt uncomfortable when the kings were affectionate with her. She felt content, happy and safe when they did. She didn't know much about them yet but she couldn't wait to get to know them more.

Aro seemed like a very eccentric character, she was sure life wouldn't be boring with him. His long hair was so beautiful too. He was just beautiful, everything about him was beautiful.

Marcus seemed like a big sweetheart but there was a darkness hidden in him. It made her want to figure out his secrets. She also wanted to see more smiles light up his handsome face. For some reason, she made him happy. That alone made her so happy she could cry.

Caius… Well, Caius was complicated. At first glance he was a sadistic, angry vampire. He might try to act like that's all there is to him, Hekate knew better though. She could see his rough exterior crack around her. His smile was so beautiful because he rarely did it, it made her smile immediately in response…

She really was falling hard for them already.

Hekate paused when they came to a crossroads it seemed. There were multiple hallways to choose from, some branching off almost immediately once you entered. "I didn't realize the castle was so huge."

Jane nodded, "It's almost entirely underground. We've expanded it a lot too. Master Aro, Master Caius and Master Marcus all have their own wings." She then smiled softly, looking up at her. "There is another wing in this section of the castle. It used to belong to Athenadora and Sulpicia until they moved further into the castle. I believe Aro plans to remodel it for you."

Hekate's eyes went wide as she turned to the little girl. "What? A whole wing for me?"

Jane giggled softly, nodding her head. "Yes, ma'am. You are the queen. All the kings have their own wing. Caius is full of artifacts, paintings and other collections. Marcus has his own libraries and storage rooms. Aro has a giant study connected to his smaller library."

Hekate rubbed her neck as she chose a hallway to go down, following her heart is seemed. "I have no idea what I'd do with a whole wing…" She hadn't really been able to focus on any of her hobbies in a long time. Not since _that_ night. She used to like to dance, to draw and to read. She wished she had kept some of her sketchbooks but that would have been dangerous…

Hekate groaned when she walked right into someone. She really needed to pay attention. She didn't know how sometimes she was very graceful but sometimes she was as bad as Bella.

"Are you alright, Cara mia?"

Hekate smiled softly up at Aro, nodding her head. "I'm fine." She then smiled shyly, "I'm sorry for bumping into you."

Aro chuckled softly as he gently kissed her forehead. "It's quite alright, darling." He then raised an eyebrow at her, motioning to the open hallway around them. "What were you doing?"

Hekate smiled nervously, "I got a little antsy so I went exploring with Jane… Is that okay?"

Aro made a 'tsk' noise. "I'm so sorry my dear. We should have mentioned this earlier. You have complete roam of the entire castle. It's perfectly alright to be curious. One day this will be your home."

Hekate smiled at him, "It really is beautiful…"

Aro grinned at her, "Thank you. I'm so glad you like it, cara mia." He then motioned to the room he exited, "Would you like to see my study?"

Hekate nodded eagerly, smiling at her mate. "Of course." She followed Aro inside, noticing Jane stayed in the hallway. She gasped softly when she entered the study. It really was beautiful, like Aro himself. All the furniture was made of dark, red wood. His desk was giant and old but it held modern electronics on it. The walls were stone but didn't make the room seem like a dungeon. The windows probably helped with that, they let in natural light into the room.

Aro sat down on a loveseat across from the bookshelf, patting the seat next to him. "Are you feeling better now, darling?"

Hekate nodded as she sat down. She debated for a second before moving until her back was pressed against Aro's chest. "I feel a lot better actually. It helps that Edward and Bella are finally gone."

Aro chuckled softly as he gently rubbed one of her arms, the other resting over the back of the loveseat. He gently kissed her head, breathing in her scent. "I'm glad." He smiled down at her happily, loving just holding her. It made his un-dead heart soar. "Are you wanting to leave tonight then when the sun sets?"

Hekate nodded sadly, looking down at her lap. "Yes… Alice already has our jet waiting for us at your airstrip apparently." She didn't want to leave the kings yet, or Volterra. She liked it here and she wanted to be with them more. However, she felt very drained and just wanted to be home for a while. She knew she wouldn't be gone for long though.

Aro heard all her thoughts, feeling saddened by them but he understood as well. Hekate was young still in human years. She was still a newborn, her emotions were running high all the time. She would be able to relax better at home. He trusted Jasper to protect her at least. He had seen how vicious of a fighter he was in his memories. He knew Caius would have sent guards with her otherwise. Marcus still had to make him let it go, convincing him that it would seem weird for Hekate.

"Aro?"

Aro looked down at his mate, gently kissing her temple. "Yes, darling?"

Hekate turned slightly to face him, frowning softly. "I don't want to seem too forward…"

Aro shook his head, holding out his hand for her to take if she chose. "Darling, you don't need to be embarrassed or afraid to do anything. We are your mates. We love you and will do anything for you. We will never make fun of you, judge you or do anything to make you uncomfortable."

Hekate's frown turned into a soft smile as she listened to Aro. "How did I deserve you three?"

Aro shook his head again, kissing her forehead. "Darling, it's how did we deserve an angel like you?"

Hekate had to blink back her tears while placing her hands in Aro's. She waited a few seconds for him to catch up on her memories, biting her lip.

Aro gently kissed her hand, smiling down at her. "Of course, Cara mia." She was so cute he just wanted to kiss her for days. She was too nervous to ask if she could cuddle with them before leaving for America. Of course! It would be a wonderful way to spend their last bit of time together for a while. "Jane, dear, would you please escort Marcus and Caius to my chambers?"

"Yes, master." Jane then began walking towards the library where the two kings were.

Aro got up, holding out his hand for Hekate. "Shall we, my love?"

Hekate smiled and held his hand, following him to his room. It was the next room down from his study. The door was very old and thick, intricate patterns carved into the wood. His room had the same stone walls but was decorated very lavishly. Everything was dark tones of black, red and gold. His bed was a king size, something Hekate found funny considering. It had black silk sheets with red silk pillows and fluffy blankets that were dyed red.

Aro gently removed his shoes, leaving them by the bed. He then laid down against the wall of pillows, holding out his hand for Hekate. Hekate shyly took his hand, letting him pull her onto the bed next to him. "Get comfy, darling, and then we'll take until my brothers arrive."

Hekate laid back against the pillows, laying her head on Aro's shoulder. She sighed when Aro began brushing her hair with his fingers, looking down at her. "Talk about why I wanted to cuddle?"

Aro nodded as he kissed her forehead. "Exactly, cara mia." He looked into her bright eyes and smiled softly, "We would never leave you, Hekate. We are your mates and it would hurt us to hurt you. I would never want to leave you anyways, Hekate. I'm quickly falling for you, my darling. No force on heaven, hell or earth could keep me from you, if you wanted me by your side."

Hekate blinked back her tears again, smiling through them instead. "I've already fallen for all of you… I know that soon I won't want to leave your sides. For now…"

"For now, we can wait for you to adjust, Hekate." Marcus smiled at her as he walked inside, holding the door open for Caius. "You are young and still adjusting to your new life."

Caius tossed his shoes off before sitting at Hekate's feet, nodding his head slightly. "Though we're going to be visiting you, a lot." He looked like a sulking child more than the sadistic man he usually was. "I'll miss you too much."

Hekate held back the coos she wanted to voice at that, only smiling at her other two mates. "Thank you… and I can't wait."

Caius smiled back at her, staring into her eyes for a little bit. He then glared at Marcus when he was pushed over. He moved on the other side of Hekate, laying down. Marcus then laid down a bit from him, facing Hekate.

Hekate smiled when the men moved around her so they could all cuddle her. Aro was on his side, facing her now since she was on her back. He laid his head beside hers, kissing her head softly. Marcus had his head on her hip, one arm thrown over her gently. He was gently rubbing her leg with that hand, his legs intertwined with hers. Caius was half laying under Marcus, leaning on his elbow to play with her hair, smiling down at her.

Hekate closed her eyes and just relaxed with her mates there, letting herself relax. She could have fallen asleep if she was human still. Instead, she enjoyed the peaceful quiet.

Until Caius grumbled at Aro that he wanted to switch. Aro smarted back saying Caius was too slow to arrive, losing his spot. This lead to both arguing over Hekate and Marcus.

Hekate rolled her eyes as she looked down to Marcus, seeing the same expression mirrored on his face. She shook her head before motioning for Marcus to sit up. He sat up, the other two ignoring them as their argument got more heated. Hekate moved, laying her head in his lap. She hummed happily as Marcus began playing with her hair, smiling down at her happily. "This is what you wanted, Hm?"

Hekate opened an eye to look up at her mate, grinning. "Maybe."

Marcus chuckled as he glanced up at his brothers, seeing them still arguing. "You have this to look forward to, forever."

Hekate grinned, reaching up to hold Marcus' hand. "Promise?"

Aro and Caius paused in their argument, smiling tenderly at their mate. They then turned back to the other, going back to arguing.

Marcus chuckled and kissed her hand, "We promise."

{X}

Hekate went right to Peter and Charlotte when they got home, spending a while with them and her parents. Peter and Charlotte were very happy for Hekate but so pissed that Edward had attacked her. Jasper had to use his ability to keep everyone calm that evening.

Hekate was able to relax in her safe bubble for about two days, until Alice got another vision. Apparently, Edward and Bella didn't tell anyone what happened. That was until Edward made the decision to finally tell his parents. They kept asking because they knew something bad happened. Edward and Bella were very different and skittish, seemingly scared of something.

Alice walked into the living room, smiling at what she saw. Hekate and Jasper were playing a video game together, Peter watching them actively. He was egging them both on, a grin on his face. Hekate was biting a corner of her lip, focused on beating Jasper. Jasper's lips were pulled up at one corner, looking confident. He knew his smirk got to her, which is why he winked at her.

Alice turned to see Charlotte sitting on the loveseat, curled up while reading a book. She glanced up when Alice sat down beside her, noticing the stern expression she was wearing. "Alice? What's wrong?"

Hekate paused the game, turning to look at her. "Mom?"

Jasper sat the controller on the coffee table, moving to sit beside his wife. He gently held her hand, kissing the back of it. "What did you see?"

Alice squeezed Jasper's hand before facing her coven. "No one's in trouble. Edward and Bella made the decision to tell our family what happened. He's not going to tell them everything, which is why we're going. I called Carlisle and asked him to wait until we arrive. I told him Edward won't want to tell him everything."

Hekate growled lowly as she stood up, pacing in front of the T.V. "Those assholes!" She then tugged on her hair, glaring out the windows at the setting sun. "Edward attacked me, in front of the Volturi! He's on a very tight leash with them, what did he think he was going to tell his parents!?"

Jasper got up and pulled her into a hug, using his ability to slowly calm her down. "Easy, Hekate…" He looked down at her, brushing her hair back. "We'll straighten it all out."

Hekate sighed before rubbing her face, "What about Caius ordering them to stay away from me?"

Alice smirked at her, "I'm sure they'd make an exception for this. We're going to ruin Edward's little plan, which I think they'd approve of. Especially when Aro finds out about this through someone's memories."

Peter frowned as he crossed his arms. "We could go with you and beat Edward up some more."

Charlotte smirked as she glanced at Hekate, "We would gladly do it for you."

Hekate smiled softly, shaking her head. "I think I kicked his ass hard enough. Thank you though."

{X}

Hekate sighed as she followed her parents to the familiar door, feeling a little nervous. She hadn't seen any of the Cullens since Bella's birthday last year. They knew Alice and Jasper turned her, they knew she was living with them. She just hadn't seen any of them.

Carlisle opened the door, smiling at Alice and Jasper. "It's wonderful to see you both again." He kissed Alice's head and patted Jasper's shoulder as they passed him. Carlisle then turned to Hekate, smiling softly at her. "Hekate. You look beautiful, my dear. It's so nice to see you." He held out his arm for him, a warm smile on his face. "We've missed you."

Hekate moved into his embrace, smiling softly. "I've missed you guys too, Carlisle. It's nice to see you again."

Esme walked up to her, smiling brightly. "Hekate, you look so gorgeous! You've really blossomed since being turned."

Hekate hugged Esme, being careful since she was still a newborn. "Thank you, Esme." She smiled when Esme rubbed her back, enjoying the embrace. "It's wonderful to see you again."

"Hekate! Come here, kiddo!"

Hekate laughed as she walked into the living room. Emmett was waiting on her, Rosalie to his side, with his arms wide open. She hugged Emmett tightly, laughing softly. "Hey, Emmett."

Emmett squeezed her tightly, lifting her off the ground. "It's nice to see you again, especially so happy!" He then laughed loudly at how strong her grip was. "Nice grip there, newborn!"

Hekate grinned at him before smiling at Rosalie. "It's nice to see you again, Rosalie."

Rose smiled at Hekate, "It's nice to see you too, Hekate. You really do look beautiful."

Alice grinned as she wrapped an arm around Hekate, "She really does."

Hekate slowly turned around when she smelled Bella's scent get stronger, as did the sound of her heart beating. Bella and Edward were slowly walking into the living room. Hekate crossed her arms, moving to lean against a wall. Alice and Jasper stood on either side of her, for support. They were also worried Hekate might try to go after the couple in question. Edward and Bella sat down on a loveseat. Emmett and Rosalie sat on another loveseat, leaving Carlisle and Esme sitting on the couch.

Carlisle spoke first, noticing how tense half of his family was, frowning softly. "Well… Let's hear what happened from beginning to end, shall we?"

Alice and Edward glanced at each other, seeing who would go first. Edward winced at something Alice thought, clearing his throat. "Rosalie thought that Bella was dead when she called to tell me. I… I decided not to live without her so I went to the Volturi." Edward glanced at Hekate, seeing her glaring at him. "Aro denied my wish. That's when I decided to force their hand…"

Esme and Carlisle looked heartbroken while listening to this. Emmett looked sad but Rosalie looked extremely guilty. She was trying to make eye contact with Edward but he avoided her gaze.

Jasper glanced at Alice, nodding for her to go. Alice sighed softly before speaking. "When I saw Bella die, I decided to visit Charlie to help with anything he needed. Hekate and Jasper went with me for company. We discovered Bella was alive. Later I got a vision of Edward deciding to go to the Volturi. I got more visions as he made different decisions, heading to Volterra with my coven and Bella."

Bella spoke up, looking uneasily at Hekate before looking to Esme and Carlisle. "We made it to Volterra but there was a festival that day. St. Marcus Day. I had to run into the city to make it to Edward in time. I barely made it…"

Hekate kept her mouth shut, clenching her jaw as she knew what part was coming up soon. She glared at the ground, not wanting to make eye contact with anyone. Especially not Esme or Carlisle.

Jasper spoke next, "When we made it to the plaza, Demetri and Felix had arrived. They tried to get Edward to follow them inside. When we took too long, Jane was sent to retrieve us. We then followed them all inside the castle, to the throne room."

Hekate smiled softly as she remembered looking up at Aro when he caught her. She glanced up and smiled at Esme and Carlisle. "I found one of my mates then. Aro caught me after I got overwhelmed by the ghosts there."

Esme smiled brightly at Hekate, "Oh that's wonderful, Hekate! I'm so happy for you." She had heard plenty of Aro from Carlisle. She knew Aro wasn't a horrible man, he just had some darker personality traits that came out sometimes. She was happy Hekate had found her mate though. They would be so happy together!

Carlisle was smiling brightly until he realized what she said. "Wait… One of your mates?"

Hekate smiled as she nodded. "Yes. I have three mates."

Emmett whistled loudly, a big grin on his face. "Damn, Hekate. Who are the other two?"

Hekate smiled at all of them, "Aro, Caius and Marcus are my mates."

Emmett's grin faded into a surprised expression. "Holy shit."

Esme ignored his foul language for once, the room going totally silent from shock. "The kings are your mate?"

Hekate nodded softly, brushing some hair behind her ear. "Yes." She smiled softly at everyone's shocked expressions. "They agreed to court me while I get used to my new life. I still have anxiety issues and my parents help me with that. When I get better I'll move to the castle and live in Volterra."

Rosalie glanced at Alice and Jasper, noticing the bright smiles on their faces. She smiled softly at that before glancing at Hekate. "They treat you well, right?" They all had heard plenty of dark things about the Volturi. They didn't want Hekate to be hurt by them, even if they were her mates.

Bella mumbled to herself, forgetting for a minute that she was surrounded by vampires. "This is about Edward and me, not you."

Hekate growled loudly at Bella, "Fine. Let's talk about you two." Bella's irritation quickly turned to shame and fear. Something everyone could tell, not just Jasper. "Edward, would you like to tell everyone what happened?"

Emmett's jaw was hanging down, glancing between Bella and Amber comically. He whispered to himself, "Whoah."

Edward clenched his jaw while staring Hekate down. He eventually sighed when she didn't budge. He turned to his parents, holding Bella's hand gently. "Aro talked for quite a while before asking about Bella's abilities. He couldn't read her mind… He then wanted to see if Bella blocked everyone's ability… Namely Jane's."

Esme and Carlisle looked very concerned for Bella, knowing the kind of power Jane had. Carlisle had seen it too many times and hoped Bella had blocked it.

Hekate raised an eyebrow at Edward. "Edward threatened Aro then, in front of me and the entire Volturi."

Carlisle gasped loudly, "Edward! You didn't?"

Edward nodded grimly, looking down at the coffee table. "I did." He glanced up, looking angry. "He was toying with Bella, he was going to use Jane's ability on Bella for his own enjoyment!" He flinched when Hekate growled at him. "Jane was looking at Bella, using her power and I couldn't handle the thought. I was so angry and wanted to protect Bella, so I went to attack Jane."

Carlisle's stern expression turned grim at that. He wondered how Edward made it out alive if he had indeed tried to attack a Volturi guard, in front of the kings too. He also wondered how Edward could have been so stupid to do such a thing. Esme was thinking along the same lines, gaping at her son.

Hekate stared Edward down, clearing her throat. Edward's expression turned into a haunted, sickly looking expression. He shook his head, not wanting to tell his parents this. He was so humiliated already, he didn't want to face their disappointment and anger in him.

Jasper snapped at him, growling lowly. "Tell them!"

Esme and Carlisle jumped, raising their eyebrows at Jasper. They had never seen him so angry at Edward before. Alice herself looked just as mad. They were realizing something very bad happened now. Alice, Jasper and Hekate looked pissed at the couple before them.

Carlisle frowned at Edward, "What happened, Edward?"

Edward glanced down at Bella before looking back at the floor. "Hekate attacked me when I tried to attack Jane. I was so angry and a little humiliated from Hekate taking me down so easy. I made a very stupid decision… I attacked Hekate."

Emmett stood up quickly, growling at Edward. "What the hell, dude?!"

Esme had a hand over her mouth, tears in her eyes. She glanced at Hekate and then back at her son. "You attacked her?"

Jasper nodded, "He broke her skin and the marble from the impact."

Carlisle stood up and glared down at his son, something none of them had ever seen. Carlisle was a very peaceful and loving man. He loved his family dearly and never got angry, unless it was warranted. Edward had done things in the past but he thought Edward was better now. He guessed Edward would always be an arrogant child. "I am very disappointed in you, Edward. We raised you better than this." He motioned to Hekate, glaring at his son. "She's young and just turned! Her anger was justified, yours was not! I thought you got over this long ago. I was wrong." Carlisle then moved to Hekate, gently touching her cheek. "Are you okay, Hekate?"

Hekate sighed softly, glancing at the couple before back at Carlisle and Esme. "I'm okay…" She gently held Esme's hand when she moved to her. "I promise. I'm also sorry I attacked Edward… I just wanted to stop him…"

Bella stood up then, pointing at Hekate. "Sure, Edward attacked her but Hekate was going to kill us!"

Hekate growled at Bella, staying behind Esme even though she wanted to hurt Bella. "I was not! I just had to stop your asshole of a boyfriend from hurting Jane!"

Carlisle looked down at Hekate, a mix between sadness and confusion in his eyes. "You had every right, Hekate… So did the kings. Edward attacked you in front of the entire Volturi. He made a fool of himself as their guest…" He glanced at Bella, frowning at her attitude. "How did you escape alive?"

Alice spoke up, hugging Esme as she looked like she was about to cry. "Hekate made a deal for them. Edward and Bella could live if Bella was to be turned. They have a short window and a shorter leash. They are also to stay away from Hekate from now on. Caius is out for blood and will not accept any mistakes from them."

Hekate looked up at Carlisle, frowning softly. "I knew I wouldn't want to live with their deaths on my conscious… I also thought of you guys." She glanced at Rose and Emmett too, seeing they were quiet as they were processing everything. "You love Edward and I know you wouldn't want him to die. I didn't want to hurt you the way Edward hurt me. That's why I let them live, for you."

Carlisle let a venom tear fall down his cheek, pulling Hekate into a tight hug. "You, my dear, are too kind for the terrible life you've lived." He was shaking slightly with all the emotions he was feeling. He was mostly grateful for Hekate. She had saved her son and his mate even though they hurt her terribly. "Thank you, Hekate… I'll always be in your debt."

Hekate shook her head while she hugged Esme, burying her face in her shoulder. "No, you're not… You were there for me when I needed it. You helped me so much."

Alice gently kissed Hekate's cheek, hugging her gently. "It's been a rough night. Let's go to my room and relax." She gently led Hekate upstairs, promising a movie night to cheer her up.

Jasper waited until they were in the room before turning to Edward and Bella. He narrowed his eyes, using his ability to make them very afraid. "If you ever hurt her again, you will have more than me and Alice going after you. Peter, Charlotte, the kings and the entire Volturi will be after you. Don't mess this second chance up."

Emmett scoffed as he got up, helping Rosalie up. "What the fuck happened to you, Edward?" He shook his head while heading to the garage, knowing a drive would help Rosalie feel better. Edward had been treating his angel like shit ever since he got back. Edward himself had done much worse things in Volterra and was still acting all high and mighty! Emmett needed some air, away from the asshole.

Esme watched her children leave the room, not blaming them. She then turned to the couple, narrowing her eyes. "Very disappointed." She then turned and walked upstairs, heading to her study.

Carlisle stared at them silently for a while, watching as Edward's head kept hanging further down. He eventually sighed and went after his wife. "I used to think you were better than this, Edward. You proved me wrong."

Edward let a couple of tears fall onto his pants, closing his eyes tightly. His heart was breaking, able to hear everyone's angry thoughts towards him and Bella. His mate's embrace didn't help much at all. He had fucked up, badly. He didn't know if he could ever make it up again.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chelsnichole, Angel897, CrystalVixen93, Silverdeaf1977, Hermonine, Lyryenn, Guest #1, Zigra1825, ErikaconlaK, Mickkila, Guest #2, Paige McCarthy, Narukonohime** and **Witchpiper91!**

 _Thank you guys so much for all the feedback! I'm so glad you loved the last chapter so much!_

* * *

 _If you haven't read Safe and Sound, you might not know how much I actually hate Edward and Bella. If you actually like them, you'll probably hate the chapters they're in. I'm not going to make them nice people. Hekate will always hate Edward and Bella, as will the kings, Jasper and Alice._

 _Now, on a happier note, the cuddling scene was so cute, guys! I hope you'll like this chapter even more! ;)_

* * *

Hekate stared at Alice weirdly, sighing softly. "Dad?"

Jasper hummed as he sat across from her at the kitchen island. "What is it, Darlin?"

"What is mom doing?"

Jasper looked up from his book, sighing softly. "Who knows? I've learned to just wait her out. She's not going to tell us if she doesn't want to."

"And I don't!" Alice sang out as she continued decorating the living room. She was like a torpedo, running around and replacing dead flowers. She would fluff pillows, toss old ones and go through her collections. Peter and Charlotte were in their own room, staying out of the little vampire's way. She giggled at the exasperated looks she got from her family. She then ran towards Hekate's room, "We should clean your room!"

Hekate was in front of her room before Alice could get there, steering her mother away from her door. "Nope! My room is clean and perfect the way it is. You decorated it, remember?"

Alice huffed as Hekate basically pushed her all the way into the kitchen, not having enough strength to fight a newborn. "That's true… but we c-"

Alice was shut up when Jasper picked her up, kissing her. "Come on, Darlin. You've redecorated almost every inch of the property. Leave it alone."

Alice pouted up at Jasper before giving in, kissing him again. "Fine."

Hekate made a disgusted face before heading outside. "Gross." She smiled when she heard her parents laughing behind her. Hekate laid down on the hammock, getting out her sketchpad. She had slowly been getting back into her past hobbies, now that she had no reason to be afraid. She doubted that gang could ever hurt her again.

Hekate smiled softly as she thought about how happy Mariana would be for her. She laughed softly when she realized how badly Mariana would tease her thought.

'You have three boyfriends? Shit, dude! You're in some kind of harem. Kinky.'

Hekate began doodling as she thought about her late friend, remembering their happiest memories together. That was until she heard a car heading their way. She frowned as she listened for any other sound. She didn't hear anything besides the sounds the car made. She didn't even hear any heartbeats or smell a human. Who was driving the car?

Peter and Charlotte slowly walked up to her, standing in front of her hammock. Peter was scanning the area around them while Charlotte turned to her. "Is anyone supposed to be visiting?"

Hekate shrugged softly while glancing up at her aunt. "I have no idea…" She then frowned, realizing why Alice was acting so weird. "Alice does, though."

Alice skipped outside to them then, grinning when they could see the car heading up the long driveway now. "Mhmm."

Jasper chuckled as he followed his wife, resting an arm around her shoulders. "Still keeping the secret? We can see them." Alice giggled softly and only leaned into her husband, not saying anything.

Hekate sat her sketchbook down on the table, sitting up as the car came to a stop beside the garage. She couldn't see anyone in the car because the glass was so tinted but she had a feeling in her gut. She slowly stood up as the front doors opened.

Demetri and Felix both got out of the car, smiling at them before grinning at Hekate. Demetri was the first to speak, "Sorry for dropping in unannounced, we-"

Hekate cut him off by hugging him gently. "It's nice to see you again, Demetri."

Demetri smiled, gently patting her back. "It's a pleasure to see you again, Ms. Whitlock."

Hekate pulled back to see Felix open the back door for someone, a familiar head of platinum hair cluing her in to who it was. Especially when his scent reached her. She grinned and appeared in front of him before anyone could see, hugging him tightly. "Caius!"

Caius was surprised when his mate just appeared, chalking it up to her newborn abilities. He smiled happily down at her when she hugged him, until she began using too much force. He grunted softly but didn't say anything, not wanting to make her feel bad. He also missed her way too fucking much to let go. "Hello, my love. How have you been?"

Hekate kept her head on his shoulder, her arms staying locked around him but gentler now. "Good and bad… I'll tell you about it later. For now, I'm just glad you're here."

Caius gently kissed her head, brushing her hair back. "As am I, my love… I've missed you terribly since you left Volterra."

Demetri and Felix left the couple to be by themselves, heading to the rest of the Texas Coven. Felix looked a little stiff but Demetri seemed relaxed. He smiled at them, "I hope you don't mind us staying for a while. Master Caius was driving our masters insane so they sent him away for a couple of days." Felix chuckled softly, shaking his head.

Alice smiled brightly up at them, "You're welcome to stay anytime."

Jasper chuckled, "It's not going to be a surprise if you do. Alice will see it."

"WHAT!?"

Everyone jumped, turning to see a very pissed Caius trying to be calmed down by Hekate. Caius began heading towards them, looking like he wanted to murder someone. Jasper knew who that person was immediately.

Alice sighed softly, shaking her head as Caius reached them. "I know. Edward was going to lie to the rest of the Cullens."

Caius glanced at his guard before back at Hekate. "Did he try anything?"

Hekate shook her head softly, "No… Bella got mouthy but I shut her down quickly." She then smirked. "Carlisle and Esme are very mad and disappointed in him. I'm glad they're realizing how awful he is."

Caius sighed, rubbing his temples. "We told them not to mess up again."

Felix smirked at Demetri and Caius, "Can we kill them now?" Alice flinched while everyone else just looked amused.

Hekate shook her head, glancing up at Caius to see how he reacted. She didn't know if her saying no and him saying yes would matter. "It's not that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things. It just made me angry Edward would try and lie about what happened. He knows how much I love the rest of the Cullens."

Jasper nodded, rubbing Alice's shoulder. "Edward and Bella started out doing it to get back at Hekate but that quickly backfired on them. Bella isn't welcome at the Cullens still. Emmett and Rosalie aren't speaking to Edward. Carlisle and Esme are still very mad and disappointed in him. His life is hell."

Caius had a pissed expression on his face until Jasper explained how miserable Edward was now. "Good." He then to his mate, gently holding her hand. "Are you okay, though?"

Hekate nodded, squeezing his hand. "I'm fine."

Peter and Charlotte excused themselves back to the guest house, Jasper and Alice taking the guard inside.

Hekate didn't notice at first before she smiled softly. She then glanced up at Caius, leading him back over to the hammock. She laid back on it, waiting for him. "How has Volterra been?"

Caius raised an eyebrow at the fabric net before following her lead. He gently held her hand, laying it on their stomachs. "The usual, though Aro and Marcus have been cleaning and renovating your wing. They're bringing it up to modern standards since it's been a long time since anyone used them."

Hekate curled up on her side, laying her head on Caius' chest. "Will you tell me who they are now? Why did they have the other royal wing?"

Caius looked down at her, frowning softly. He suspected that Hekate knew the kings would have had relations with others. They'd been alive for over two thousand years, after all. He just didn't know how she would feel about their past wives. He didn't want to lie to her, though. She just seemed curious and he didn't blame her.

Caius wrapped an arm around her, kissing the top of her head. "Well… When we created the Volturi, all three of us had wives. Aro was married to Sulpicia. Marcus was actually married to Aro's sister, Didyme. I was married to Athenadora."

Hekate was very surprised at that fact, wondering why no one told her that. She glanced up at Caius, seeing the nervous expression her wore. "I'm not mad at you having married someone else, Caius. I'm not even twenty years old. You're over two-thousand. I don't blame you."

Caius sighed, relaxing his tense muscles. "You are too sweet. Some people would not handle that very well."

Hekate shook her head, hugging him. "I'm not most people."

Caius smiled at her, "No, you're not. You're my queen."

Hekate would have blushed if she could have. Instead she relaxed on the hammock, wrapping her arms around him again. "What happened?"

Caius looked up at the sky as he remembered how it all happened. "Well, Athenadora and I were the last to join. Marcus and Aro were already married, as was I. Athenadora and I knew we weren't mates, but we were attracted to each other and happy. So, we agreed to be together until one of us found our mate. It was never to be a permanent thing. Aro and Marcus had agreements like this, though Marcus really did love Didyme."

Hekate looked up at Caius, frowning when she heard the phrasing around Didyme. Something bad happened there but she wasn't going to interrupt him right now.

"When we joined them, Athenadora and Sulpicia met for the first time a few days later. When they did, they realized who the other was. Athenadora and Sulpicia are mates, Marcus confirmed this with his gift. I wasn't bitter about letting Athenadora go, neither was Aro. They stayed with us though, to help us build the Volturi and take over the other ruling covens. They were and still are considered a bit like royalty, so they took the last royal wing in the castle."

Hekate took all the information in, looking up at the sky. "So… where are they now?"

Caius glanced at her, trying to read her but she wasn't displaying any emotions except curiosity. "They've been traveling again, they like to get out of the castle a lot. Their room is further down in the castle than our wings." Caius glanced at Hekate, wondering if he should tell her about Didyme or not. He finally decided that Aro or Marcus should be the one to do so. "You'll have to talk to my brothers about Didyme. It's not my place to talk about."

Hekate nodded slowly as she listened to all of it. She hummed softly at the end, looking up at him. "I'm sorry you had to wait so long for me."

Caius shushed her, kissing the back of her hand. "Don't apologize for that, my love. We're together now and that's all that matters."

Hekate grinned bashfully at him, "I like this side of you."

Caius smiled, gently pulling her close. "You're the only one to see it, love." Caius enjoyed the quiet, loving being able to hold his mate in his arms. It was one of the best moments of his entire life, knowing things would only get better from here.

{X}

Hekate laughed when she saw the Volturi men glaring at the glass in her hands. It had cougar blood in it, which is what disgusted them so much. She just wanted a glass before she went on her first date with Caius. She was still a newborn and though her self-control was amazing, she didn't want to push herself. "It's not that bad."

Felix scowled at Hekate as she downed the blood, shaking his head. "Disgusting."

Jasper chuckled as he watched from beside Hekate, sipping at his own glass. Since Hekate was still a newborn and adjusting, they kept blood at the house for her. It also was nice for a little snack for the others.

Caius frowned before looking down at his mate, "Where are we going?"

Hekate grinned at him, "It's a secret! I get to choose the first dates, remember?"

Caius sighed, rubbing his temple. He and his brothers had already agreed, when they visited and went on their first dates, Hekate was to choose what they did. When Hekate visited them in Volterra, they could choose. "I know." He didn't like it but would go with it, to make her happy.

Alice giggled softly, "You'll enjoy it, Caius."

Caius raised an eyebrow at the pixie, wondering what she could see exactly. He didn't say anything, instead looking back to Hekate. "The sun just finished setting, are you ready?"

Hekate stood up, nodding happily. She had brown contacts in, a shade very similar to her natural eye color. They would slowly dissolve but would make it through the night. Alice had also provided Caius with blue contacts, Demetri getting green while Felix got brown contacts. The guard wouldn't be following the royal couple so much but would be in the area. They were under orders to always protect the royal family, even though they didn't need it.

Hekate had on a black, long sleeve shirt that hugged her figure. Her hair was pulled back into a fishtail braid, pulled over her shoulder. She had on skinny jeans and black boots with a heel on them. She looked amazing even in such a simple outfit, something Caius didn't fail to notice.

Caius was wearing a gray shirt, a black, leather jacket and jeans. He wore black boots on underneath them as well, matching Hekate. This was all Alice's work. She already had clothes for the kings in the guest room. She refused the let them leave until Caius agreed to change. Caius' argument never left his lips when he saw Hekate grinning at him. Her smile was enough to break him.

Jasper smiled as he watched the two of them head for the door, "Have a nice night."

Hekate grinned at her parents, waving back at them. Caius smirked softly, nodding at the two of them. "You too." He then looped arms with Hekate, escorting her to the car.

Demetri and Felix chuckled at the couple, loving watching them get closer. They then ran to the car, getting in to drive them.

{X}

Hekate smirked at Caius when they got close to their destination, the field looking lit up even though it was dark out. She could hear people crying out in joy from the rides, smell the various kinds of food. She could see all the details of the tents, the rides, the people and everything in the field. It was amazing and made her feel nostalgic. The last time she went to a fair or carnival, she was about twelve and went with her mother.

Caius frowned softly as he looked outside, wondering why on Earth Hekate would want to go here. His thoughts quickly stopped when he glanced at his mate. She had a brilliant smile on her face, her eyes lit up as she watched the Ferris Wheel move. He smiled softly, committing the image to his memory. She was so beautiful, and he wished that smile would never leave her face. "A carnival, Hm?"

Hekate smiled at him, giggling softly. She was just so excited, she couldn't help it. "I love them. I haven't been to one in a long time." She was about to open her door, but Felix beat her to it. She smiled at him in thanks, stepping out to meet Caius. "Do you hate the idea?"

Caius shook his head, holding his mate's hand as they headed towards the Carnival. He noticed the guards lagging, talking to themselves. He then glanced down at Hekate, smiling softly. "No. Even if I didn't like the idea, your smile would make me willing to stay here all night if you wanted."

Hekate leaned into him, smiling up at him as she felt herself melt at his words. How was she supposed to handle living with these men? They always made her want to cry with how much her heart ached for them. "So, what do you want to do first?"

Caius looked everything over before looking back down at Hekate, raising an eyebrow at her. "What would you like to do? I've never been to one of these." He never found the idea appealing before. These things were full of humans, which he didn't like. Now, though, he wouldn't mind spending the night with her here.

Hekate smiled at him, leading him towards the giant striped tent. He could hear a variety of animals inside it, raising an eyebrow. "A petting zoo?"

Hekate nodded happily, "Of course! Animals are adorable." She tugged him inside, heading to where the goats were. She easily leaned over the fence, petting a black and white goat. She smiled happily when it nibbled on her hand, making a funny sound afterwards. "They're so cute."

Caius stood beside her, raising an eyebrow down at the goat. They stared each other down for a while, until the goat cried out loudly at Caius. The goat then turned to Hekate, brushing under her hand to be petted more. "If you say so." He chuckled when Hekate narrowed her eyes at him. "They're just goats."

Hekate stage whispered to the goat, "I think you're a pretty boy, don't listen to the old grumpy man."

Caius chuckled, wrapping his arms around Hekate. "Old, grumpy, man?"

Hekate laughed with him, "Of course." She kissed his cheek, smiling up at him. "Relax, Caius. Have some fun for once."

Caius sighed softly as he watched her, knowing she was right. He glanced at all the animals around them before moving to the pen full of baby pigs. He kneeled and pet one of them, a tiny smile forming on his face when he saw how happy the pig seemed.

Hekate grinned as she watched Caius, holding one of the piglets herself. She refrained from saying something, afraid Caius would drag her away if she did. She quietly pet her pig instead, loving how cute it was. That was until she saw someone walking by with a big funnel cake in their hands. She frowned, knowing she used to love them. Now she could just smell the grease and chemicals in the sweet. Sometimes she missed being human, being able to do human things. She could eat something, but she'd have to throw it back up later, her body not able to digest anything but blood now.

Caius glanced up when Hekate got quiet, noticing the far off look in her eyes. He gently took the pig from her arms, setting it down. He then held her hand, kissing the back of it. He smiled when her eyes turned to his, a smile forming on her face. "What's next on the tour?"

Hekate squeezed his hand, easily forgetting about where her mind had been headed. "I don't think the rides would be as exciting as they used to be." She could run so much faster than the speed of any of the rides. She could jump almost as high as the Ferris Wheel. Her eyesight was so sharp now that she wouldn't get the same experience from the scrambler.

Caius hummed softly, "We can still try…" He didn't see the appeal of those metal death traps, but he would sit through it for Hekate. He could tell this was all very nostalgic for her, wanting to make her happy. He spotted one of the rides, some humans crying out in joy from it. "What about the tilt-a-whirl?"

Hekate laughed softly as Caius led her to the ticket booth, "You want to go on a tilt-a-whirl?" She couldn't imagine any of the kings sitting through that ride, much less Caius.

Caius handed the guy behind the booth a fifty, thinking that would be enough to ride everything. "Of course." He turned to Hekate, handing her a strip of the paper tickets. "I want to do anything that makes you happy, even if it seems silly to me."

Hekate covered her face as Caius led her to the ride, getting in line. "You have to stop doing that."

Caius raised and eyebrow at her, "Stop what?"

Hekate rubbed her neck bashfully, "Being so sweet. I'm going to cry."

Caius let a smile show on his face, gently kissing her forehead. "I always feel the same way, my love."

Hekate hugged him, hiding her face in his chest. "Stoooppp."

Caius laughed softly, rubbing her back. "Never." He then smirked when he noticed a lot of the humans staring at them, most of them with smiles. "It's our turn."

Hekate playfully nudged him as she handed her tickets to the attendant. She then quickly picked one of the cars. She sat down, scooting to the middle. She giggled when she watched Caius awkwardly climb into the car with her. "It's not going to bite you."

Caius rolled his eyes, sighing softly. "I know that." He sat down, lowering the metal bar over their lap. "So, the point is just to go in circles while the ride goes in circles? How is that fun?"

Hekate leaned over, kissing his cheek. "Well, it goes pretty fast for humans. It's also fun trying to make the car spin as fast as possible."

Caius watched as the attendant checked their lap bar, wondering how a metal bar would protect anyone. "If you say so."

Hekate smiled at Caius, shaking her head. She leaned against him, waiting for the ride to start. She felt herself grin when the ride did begin moving, feeling the car start to spin. She leaned her body weight to the left, using a bit more of her strength to rock the car. The car quickly began spinning quicker than the others. Hekate laughed at how quickly the car was spinning, hearing the other people complaining about how fast they were going.

Caius finally realized what Hekate was doing, chuckling softly. He threw his weight in the opposite direction, the car slowing down before spinning in the opposite direction. This caused Hekate to slide until she slammed against Caius' side. Caius wrapped an arm around her, smirking at her. "This is quite enjoyable."

Hekate laughed at him, leaning with him now so the car would continue to spin. "If you wanted me in your lap you just had to say so. We'll get on the scrambler next."

{X}

The attendants were thoroughly confused by the time Hekate and Caius rode everything but the Ferris wheel. They had seen how fast their car spun, how nonchalant they acted walking off the ride. They weren't reacting to any of the rides, including the scrambler or spaceship. Though, they had seen the couple get awfully cuddly on the rides. That was normal, though.

Hekate smiled as they walked past the food booths, watching everyone having fun. She glanced up and held back her laugh, Caius' hair now looking very wild. It had been blown around in the wind like crazy. Even with Hekate and Caius' trying to fix it, it still looked messy. Hekate just found it attractive, seeing him let loose. It was nice.

Hekate's attention was drawn to the boots they were passing, the game booths. She used to beg her mom to play a game with her, the game people were always good at getting you to play. Though, now, they just seemed annoying. They were calling out to almost everyone who passed by.

Caius glanced down at Hekate, frowning softly. "What are they doing?"

Hekate looked up at him, sighing. "They're trying to get people to play the games and give them money. The games are usually rigged so you lose, making you play more and more to try and win to get a prize."

Caius glanced at the basketball game in front of him, the huge stuffed animals on hooks around the area. "Rigged, huh?"

Hekate nodded, going to keep walking to head to the arts and crafts area, but Caius wasn't budging. Hekate turned back to him, seeing him watching a human try make at least four shots in a minute. She looked up at him, seeing the competitive streak from earlier in his eyes. "You're going to play?"

Caius nodded, getting in line, smirking down at Hekate. "Of course. I want to beat them."

Hekate chuckled softly, "Just make sure to miss a few, you're supposed to be a regular human, not a pro basketball player."

Caius smirked at her again, "Of course." He kissed her forehead before handing the money to the attendant.

Hekate rolled her eyes as she saw him strut to the first position. This was going to be hilarious, but bad. Caius easily made two shots in the first section, missing two. He jogged to the second position, making another shot but missing three. He winked at Hekate as he went to the last position, making two of the four shots there. The attendant was surprised at how easy it seemed for him, not having a lot of people who scored four during the time limit.

"Congratulations! You can choose any of the prizes on the wall!"

Caius looked over everything, thinking about what he knew about Hekate. He decided to grab a big, white, teddy bear. He easily picked it up, walking back to his mate. He handed it to her, a big grin on his face. "Here you go."

Hekate felt the butterflies erupting in her stomach, holding the bear the best she could without hiding herself from view. "Thank you, Caius, this is really sweet." She then spoke so quietly no one else could hear them, "Though, that was so cheating."

Caius smirked at her, "I don't know what you mean, love." He then turned and called for Demetri. He smirked when he saw Demetri stop talking to a woman, heading their way. "Take this back to the car."

Demetri raised an eyebrow at Hekate's expression before nodding his head. "Of course, master." He then grinned as he began heading back to the car, seeing Felix follow the royals.

Hekate smiled at Caius as they continued walking through the carnival, looking at everything together. "You know they're not going to let you live that down?"

Caius smiled down at her, "Oh, they will, when I give them the horrible assignments for a month."

Hekate laughed, shaking her head. "That might not work with Alice, Aro or Marcus."

Caius scowled then, knowing she was right. He then shrugged, his scowl turning into a small smile. "It's worth it to see you smile and make you happy."

Hekate felt her heart aching in her chest, feeling her eyes well up with venom. She knew her contacts would almost be melted through by now, deciding they should call it a night. There was one thing she wanted to do first. "Follow me." She then held Caius' hand, leading him back to the rides.

Caius raised an eyebrow at her, wondering if she wanted to ride the tilt-a-whirl again. That was enjoyable, very enjoyable. Especially when he threw the ride into the opposite direction, she always falling into him. His curiosity only grew when she bypassed all the other rides, heading to the Ferris Wheel.

Hekate smiled at him, glad there wasn't a line. She handed the rest of the tickets to the attendant, getting into the seat. She watched as Caius sat next to her, watching him glare at how unsafe it seemed. She half expected him to drag her off, but they were both vampires. Falling from this height wouldn't even scratch them. "It's not that bad, these hardly mess up."

Caius huffed, "I don't see how. This is very rickety."

Hekate giggled softly, holding his hand as they slowly moved to the top. "It's not going to hurt me now."

Caius turned to her, freezing at how beautiful she looked. It was very dark out, some of the stars shining down with the full moon above them. The moonlight was hitting her, as well as the carnival lights. The light was reflected in her eyes, a hint of crimson peeking through the contacts. Her braid was hanging over her shoulder, some strands having come loose and framing her face. She had a warm smile on her face, looking right into his eyes. She was so beautiful it nearly drove him crazy, he didn't understand how someone could be as gorgeous as she was.

She was also beautiful on the inside, he loved everything about her. She was so sweet and kind but sassy as well. She called them out on their shit. She could be nervous and scared but fearless and badass at times. She was still growing as a person, growing into a strong vampiress, and he loved seeing the changes in her.

Caius gently rubbed her cheek, smiling when the ride stopped at the top. "I love you, Hekate."

Hekate had to blink quickly, trying to keep the venom tears from falling. She could feel the contacts dissolving fully which left her red eyes showing. She let out a shaky breath, holding his hand tightly. "Caius… I…"

Caius shook his head, rubbing her cheek gently and wiping at a tear that managed to fall. "You don't have to say it yet, love. I just can't not say it. I love you so much and just want you to know that. You can take as long as you need, there's no rush."

Hekate smiled softly, placing her hand over Caius'. "I know… You're so sweet, Caius, but I don't need any more time." She leaned in closer to him, watching as he subconsciously did the same. Their lips were almost touching, looking in the other's eyes as they waited to see what would happen. "I love you, Caius."

Caius felt his cold heart clench in his chest, having to blink back his own tears now. He had been imagining what it would be like when Hekate said it to him, but even his wildest daydreams paled in comparison to this moment. He moved his hand to the back of her neck, gently holding her head as he leaned in to kiss her. Her lips were soft and moving so wonderfully against his own. He sighed against her, melting into the kiss.

When the couple got off the ride, they saw Felix and Demetri waiting with giant grins on their faces. Demetri's contacts were even faded by now which meant he had teared up a little. Felix only grumbled at them, telling them to shut up before they could say anything. Hekate giggled, letting Caius pull her past them as they headed back to the car.

Demetri smirked at Felix as they headed back, "I told you so."

Felix sighed, shaking his head. "Yeah, yeah." He handed the fifty over to Demetri, smiling when he saw Hekate kiss Caius when they got in the car. "I'm not mad about losing the bet."

Demetri nodded his head softly, smiling now as well. "I'm happy for them." He then chuckled at Felix, "I'm also happy that I won. Did you really think they would have been able to wait until tonight? They've been crazy for each other since they met."

Felix just grumbled as he got in the driver's seat, "Whatever, Demetri."


	15. Chapter 15

**Angel897, CrystalVicen93, Marlastiano, MageVicky, Lyryenn, Code-Kya, AnimexChick, DarkAngel2581, PaigeMcCarthy, Clearhorse, Silverdeaf1977 and Lover415:**

 _Thank you guys so much! I really appreciate the reviews guys!_

* * *

 _Thank you guys so much for all the love for the last chapter! Caius deserves some happiness in his life and dammit Hekate is gonna give that to him. I love them._

 _Now, it's time for another king to spend some time with his dear Hekate! I hope you enjoy!_

* * *

Hekate's next visit came a couple days after Caius' departure, which enabled Hekate to enter a sort of funk. She was so happy the entire time Caius was there. They cuddled the night of their date, talking and kissing for most of the night. Caius even went on a hunting trip with Hekate, somehow holding his comments back about her diet. Caius then dragged Hekate into the nearest city to go shopping with her, spoiling her some more.

That's why, when Caius was gone, her life became boring and lonely. She still had her coven and they helped a lot. It just wasn't the same as having one of your mates there for you… It didn't help she had only spent a brief time with the other two kings. She was able to learn more about Caius, but still felt distant from the others…

Hekate sighed softly as she thought about how sweet Marcus was around her, how he seemed to come to life when he met her… She closed her eyes, tossing the book on the table. She didn't want to do anything. She felt restless but lazy at the same time. She was half tempted to just fucking swim the ocean to get to Italy.

Jasper looked over at her, tilting his head. He could feel her frustration climbing since last night, nothing he tried had helped much. He did a movie, cuddle session with her. Hekate's mood improved for a while but it didn't last. Alice played with her hair, asking Hekate for help with Alice's new fashion line. That helped keep her occupied, but only for a few hours.

Last, Peter and Charlotte took Hekate with them on a hunting trip. Peter even started a spar with Hekate. Hekate was in a great mood when she returned, but as the day winded down, so did her mood.

Jasper leaned over the couch, watching as Hekate had her arm over her eyes. He smiled softly, patting her knee. "I'm sorry, darlin. What can I do?"

Hekate didn't opened her eyes or move, except to hold his hand. "I don't know, dad." She then sighed softly, squeezing his hand. "You should probably be around mom more, I'm just going to affect you like this."

Jasper kissed her hand, shaking his head. "I may be an empath, but that doesn't mean I'm going to run from your negative emotions. It instead means I can pick up on them, then be able to help you with them." He pulled her into his lap, brushing her hair back. "Is it because your mates aren't here with you?"

Hekate thought about it before nodding softly, laying her head on Jasper's shoulder. "I think so… I'm not one of those girls who has to always be with their partner… I just miss them a lot, dad…"

Jasper hugged her gently, "Well, you are also a newborn. Everything is really heightened for you. You've also been struggling with depression. It's understandable for you have a tough time adjusting." He kissed her forehead, using his ability to subtly shift her mood a little.

Alice showed up next, squirming her way into the cuddle session. She giggled when Jasper and Hekate sighed at her squirming. "You love me."

Hekate smiled and gently leaned into her, "Yes, I do."

Jasper smiled softly as he watched his wife's expression soften. "We do love you, Darlin." He then wrapped his arms around his two girls, turning on the TV to watch a random show.

{X}

Alice hummed a new song as she walked into Hekate's bathroom. She grinned when she saw Hekate reaching for the hair gel, "Ah, ah!" She sat Hekate on the stool in her bathroom, in front of the vanity. "I'm doing your hair."

Hekate didn't fight her mom, watching her in the mirror instead. "Okay? I was just going to lay down anyways."

Alice nodded, gently brushing her fingers through Hekate's soft waves. "I know, sweetie." She kissed her head, smiling at her in the mirror. "I'm going to put it in a braid."

Hekate hummed softly as a reply, messing with a comb on her vanity. "Have you and dad been apart since you met?"

Alice paused as she began picking up her hair. She continued pulling the strands together as she thought about her answer. "A couple of times, not for long… We don't like to be far away."

Hekate sighed, closing her eyes. "If you guys can't handle it, how am I supposed to handle this?"

Alice continued braiding her hair, watching her daughter's reflection. "You're a very strong woman, Hekate. You don't give yourself enough credit. Your mates are safe, love you and dying to spend more time with you. You're safe here with us, until you want to leave. You can all relax knowing that. Your mates are feeling the same way you are, Hekate. Mate bonds are never one sided, they feel everything too."

Hekate's frown slowly turned a small smile, thinking about her mates moping around because of her. "Thanks mom."

Alice kissed her hair, wrapping an elastic band around the end of the braid. "You're welcome, sweetie." She pulled Hekate up, pushing her towards her walk-in closet, "Now, I laid out an outfit for you."

Hekate sighed, shaking her head. "Yes, mom." She laughed when Alice snorted at her, leaving her room. She saw some clothes laid out on the ottoman in the room. She frowned as she picked up the lounge pants, tilting her head. She expected an elaborate outfit from her mom. The pants were a blue-ish gray with light pink roses scattered on them. There was a tank top next to them. It was the same gray color as the pants. Two crescent moons faced each other, a pink rose was in the middle of them. Rose petals were falling below the moons, vines wrapping up and around the moons as well.

Hekate put on a soft, black bra with matching underwear. She then pulled on the clothes, shaking her head softly. The clothes were really soft and cute, she just didn't understand why Alice specifically picked out a lazy day outfit for her. Hekate then went to her room, seeing Alice had re-decorated it a little. There was suddenly a lot more pillows and blankets on her bed. There were candles lit, making the room smell like cinnamon. There were string lights around her bed, making it glow from underneath. Her TV was on the DVD player channel, the menu to a Disney movie playing on loop.

Maybe her mom wanted her to have a night in and have a movie marathon? Who knew with her. Hekate slipped under the covers, hugging them to her chest. She sighed softly, watching the title loop over and over. She really wished one of her mates, or all of them really, was here to cuddle with her… She sighed again, daydreaming about when she'd be able to relax in the same bed as all three of them again.

{X}

Alice waited outside the house, smiling happily as she bounced on her heels. "They're going to be here in ten seconds."

Jasper glanced at his watch, counting down not to prove her wrong but because it was entertaining. "You didn't mention this to her?"

"Nope! He doesn't care about surprising her, but she's been in such a bad mood, I thought it would be good for her." She then walked forward as the car stopped next to the others. She held up her hand to her mouth when Marcus climbed out. She then winked at him, pointing towards the house. "Jasper, do you want to check in on our daughter?"

"Sure do, ma'am." Jasper smiled and motioned his head towards the house, waiting on Marcus. He smiled when he could sense Marcus' amusement begin to build. He could also hear Afton and Felix trying not to laugh. Jasper opened Hekate's door, peeking in. He smiled when he saw her idly watching a Disney movie, curled up in her bed. She was still a child and it showed sometimes, but that was perfectly okay. He loved Disney movies too. "Hey, Darlin, feeling okay?"

Hekate barely moved from her spot, waving her hand in the air. "'m fine, Dad."

"Okay, darlin, just checking in on you." Jasper left the door open, slipping out. He smiled at Marcus, bowing his head softly. He did mouth a 'she's been upset' at him before slipping away.

Marcus watched his mate for a few seconds, frowning softly. Caius had told them how happy Hekate had seemed. It had only been a few days since Caius arrived back in Volterra. Though, he and Aro weren't much better. They had been moping around for a long time, missing their mate terrible.

Marcus then decided he couldn't wait any longer. He shut the door behind him, smiling when Hekate turned to the door. "Hello, dear."

Hekate sat up quickly in bed, grinning up at him happily. "Marcus!" He was actually there in her room! She also felt her grin get brighter when she noticed what he was wearing. His robes were gone, as was his usual suit. He was wear a black, silk shirt. He paired that with jeans, dress shoes and the Volturi crest around his neck. He looked amazing, which they all did, always.

Marcus moved closer, picking Hekate up and hugging her tightly. He breathed in her scent, nuzzling his face into her hair. "I've missed you so much, dear."

Hekate hugged him back tightly, but being careful not to hurt him. "I've missed you too, Marcus…" She didn't let go, even when Marcus pulled back. "Not yet, please?"

Marcus frowned softly as he picked her up in his arms. He then sat them on the bed, moving Hekate to his lap. He kissed her head softly, rubbing her back. He watched her quietly, using the time to check in with his gift. The cord connecting himself and Hekate was still strong, but the color was slowly turning a brighter red than before. The cord between her and her parents, however, was much stronger. The cord itself was thicker and it was now pure gold. He was happy she had such a beautiful relationship with her parents, especially since she wouldn't have to lose Jasper or Alice. They were all immortal, thankfully. He would have fought to change them if they were not. He would never put Hekate through such torture as losing a loved one…

"Would you tell me what had been bothering you? Your father mentioned you had been upset."

Hekate sighed softly as she looked up at Marcus, playing with his hair idly. "Well, there's not a simple answer to that… I've been missing you and the other two so much since Caius left. I don't like being without one of you, hell all of you. Having one of you with me makes it easier but… I need all of you, I think, to be fully happy…"

Marcus gently kissed her forehead, "We are the same way, It's not something that's wrong with you, dear. I've hated being apart from you, but it's needed right now. We will make it through it, some day we will be together always. Keeping that in mind helps me."

Hekate hummed softly as she watched him, "That does make me feel better…" She the smiled nervously at Marcus, "I also think my brain's still fighting its way through my depression as a human…"

Marcus nodded softly, gently caressing her cheek. "You have a huge support system here for you, Hekate. Don't feel bad about having to struggle with this. No one thinks any differently of you for it, especially me."

Hekate sighed as she curled up in his arms, "You're way too perfect, Marcus…"

Marcus smiled as he held his mate, "Not as perfect as you are to me, Hekate."

Hekate smiled shyly up at him, feeling the butterflies erupting in her stomach. "Who came with you? Demetri and Felix?"

Marcus shook his head softly, "No. Demetri was sent out on a mission, he did ask me to give you his best wishes. Felix is here though, as is Afton."

Hekate smiled softly, realizing why Felix was with both Caius and Marcus. "You guys brought Felix because you're still worried about my safety?"

Marcus laughed softly, knowing Aro and Caius would be upset that she figured it out. "It's not my doing, it's my brother's. They're just worried."

Hekate laughed softly, rolling her eyes. "I know, I understand." She then leaned up and kissed his cheek, smiling at him. "It's sweet, but not necessary."

Marcus chuckled softly, "I know, dear." He then smiled down at her, realizing the shirt she was wearing. "Representing yourself, dear?"

Hekate looked down at her shirt, realizing what it was. She then raised an eyebrow at Marcus, "Well, I am Hekate. Queen of the Crossroads and all that."

Marcus chuckled, "We'll need to get you a wolf and snake."

Hekate playfully pushed him back on the bed, leaning over him. "Might as well add a crown to that, Marcus."

Marcus looked up at Hekate, realizing what kind of position they were in. Marcus' hair was spread behind his head, looking like a dark halo. Hekate was half straddling Marcus, her face close to his. Her braid was handing over her shoulder, some strands framing her face. Marcus could see the gold flecks starting to come through Hekate's red eyes. He was so close, he could just lean up and be able to kiss her. He could see her glancing down at his lips, then back up at his eyes.

Hekate stayed silent for a few seconds, looking into Marcus' eyes. She then slowly got off him, lying beside him on the bed. She looked up at the ceiling, giggling softly.

Marcus smiled softly, not irritated at Hekate pulling away. She could take as long as she wanted, there was no rush on their relationship. "So, have you decided what you want to do for our first date?"

Hekate glanced over at him, reaching over and playing with Marcus' hair. "Well… I did have an idea, but I changed my mind… Would you mind staying in for our date? I'd rather just spend time with you in private."

Marcus shook his head, kissing Hekate's hand. "I would like that. What do you have in mind?"

Hekate grinned as she sat up, looking down at him. "A Disney movie marathon!"

Marcus raised an eyebrow, having heard a little bit of the company she mentioned. "Do you like these Disney movies?"

Hekate nodded happily, "I love them! They're a big part of my childhood and they keep making really great movies."

Marcus smiled then, noticing how happy she seemed at the thought. "Let's have a Disney marathon then, dear."

Hekate got up happily, going to her movie collection. She then realized what had happened while she picked up the first movie. Alice had set this all up. She made her room especially cozy, turned her TV on to a Disney movie. She even picked out some cute lounge clothes for Hekate to wear. Hekate sighed, rolling her eyes. She loved her mother and her crazy antics, she really did.

Hekate placed The Fox and the Hound in the DVD player, turning her bed. She smiled when she saw Marcus trying to relax on the bed and failing. She shook her head, laughing softly. "You could change you know? My mom had a whole closet full of clothes for all three of you."

Marcus raised an eyebrow at her, "How would Alice know our sizes?"

Hekate crossed her arms, raising one eyebrow back at him. "My mother is a psychic. You're really asking how?"

Marcus rolled his eyes, smiling at the sass he got from his mate. "My mistake."

Hekate turned when she saw Alice peek her head in, "Mom?"

Alice grinned at her, winking. "Hey, sweetie." She then tossed a bundle of clothes at Marcus, watching as he easily caught them. "You're welcome!" She then turned to her daughter again. "Jasper and I are going hunting. Peter and Charlotte are in their house. Felix and Afton are in the living room if you need anything." She smiled at her warmly before leaving, shutting the door behind her.

Hekate turned to see Marcus unbuttoning his shirt, "Whoa!"

Marcus paused before smirking at Hekate, "Sorry, dear. Does this make you uncomfortable?"

Hekate pouted at him. "You're the one who told your brothers not to tease me, now you're teasing me."

Marcus just chuckled, moving to her side. He kissed her cheek, smiling down at her. "I'll be back in a few seconds." He disappeared, the door to her bathroom closing behind him.

Hekate sighed softly, rubbing her face. Lord, she had seen his chest and nearly fainted. She regretted freaking out, she could have seen him completely topless! She shook her head softly, getting ahead of herself. She turned when Marcus exited the bathroom, feeling her stomach erupting with more butterflies.

Marcus had on a black t-shirt that looked very soft. It accentuated the muscles he never showed underneath his robes. He had on gray sweatpants on, something that didn't hide anything he had. It made venom pool in Hekate's mouth, having to drag her eyes away. "You look comfy, better?"

Marcus nodded, not letting Hekate know he noticed her staring. "Much. Ready?"

Hekate nodded as she got on her bed, getting comfy. She was laying on her back, tons of pillows stacked behind her to support her. "Yes!" She hit play on the remote, watching Marcus get on her bed.

Marcus laid down next to her, in the same position as she was in. He smiled at her before watching the movie, holding her hand. "The Fox and the Hound? That's a strange combination."

Hekate smiled fondly, remembering how emotional this movie was. "That's one of the main points of the movie…" She watched little Tod running away from the hunter, feeling her heart clench for the poor fox. "Just watch the movie." She curled up to Marcus as Mama Trixie consoled the little fox. She smiled when Marcus wrapped an arm around her, rubbing her left arm.

Marcus didn't think he'd like these movies, as he hadn't liked many movies at all. However, he really did like the first two movies he and Hekate watched together. He pretended not to see Hekate cry to Fox and the Hound or The Lion King. He felt his own eyes water at the death of Mufasa.

Hekate turned to Marcus, smiling up at him. "The next movie is my favorite Disney movie, it's amazing."

Marcus smiled softly at her, "I'm sure I will like it then."

Hekate kissed his cheek, dashing to the DVD player. She put in Beauty and the Beast, laying back down. This time she curled up to Marcus, laying her head on his shoulder. He had his arm wrapped around her, his head resting on hers. They had pillows supporting their upper bodies, so they could watch the movie. Hekate also wrapped them both in a fluffy blanket, more for the intimacy than any comfort it could bring them.

Marcus held her hand gently, rubbing his thumb over her skin. "Beauty and the Beast? What is this about?"

Hekate smiled softly, shaking her head. "You should know by now, I'm not ruining it for you. Just watch."

Marcus just sighed, looking back at the screen. He soon became transfixed with the movie, however. He noticed how Hekate seemed absolutely focused on Belle in the movie, reacting subtly to things that happen to Belle.

Things about the movie began to really stand out to Marcus. He easily saw himself as the beast, a monster that shouldn't be loved. However, he was able to see the good qualities in himself, thanks to his brothers, his late wife and mate. Marcus had killed countless people in his long life, done horrible things and been a warlord at one time. He had helped his coven take down other covens to become the rulers.

Marcus also saw both Didyme and Hekate as Bella, Hekate more so. Didyme, the amazing woman she was, loved Marcus completely even with knowing all his faults. She had seen him act like the monster he could be, not minding one bit. She still loved him and cared for him, until her death.

Hekate, the lovely woman she was, was the epitome of Belle. She was so smart, had such a fiery personality. Her gifts made her be bullied and ostracized from society. She had to deal with such hardship in her life, like Belle did. Somehow, Hekate seemed to have fallen for Marcus despite who he is and was. Thankfully, Marcus had never been awful to her, but it might happen one day. She didn't seem like the woman to run away from such a thing. She would fight back, like Bella did. Marcus would always make it up to her, because he loves her so much.

Marcus glanced down at Hekate during the big ball scene in the movie, smiling at her. He could just imagine Hekate in a beautiful ball gown, dressed in the finest jewelry. Her new crown on her head, a Volturi crest over her chest. Marcus would be twirling her around the ballroom, in a suit that matched her gown. It would be so amazing, it made him want to have Aro plan a ball soon.

Hekate herself was feeling very emotional during the ball scene. She had been glancing at Marcus a lot during that scene, seeing the love in his eyes. She smiled, leaning into him happily. She really did love this man, as she did all her mates. She wasn't scared or weirded about by loving them so soon. They were mates, they were supposed to be together. They would never purposely hurt her, and she would never do that to them. She felt safe in her love for them.

However, the scene where Adam is killed by Gaston, hit Marcus hard. As Marcus watched Adam dying in Belle's arms, he couldn't help but think about losing Hekate like he lost his dear Didyme.

"Don't talk like that. You'll be alright, we're together now. Everything's going to be fine, you'll see."

"At least I got to see you one… last… time…"

"No, no! Please! Please! Please, don't leave me! I love you!"

Hekate was a vampire now but that didn't mean she was invincible. Her powers were great, but she rarely used them it seemed. She had trained with Jasper and Peter, both very amazing fighters. He didn't think that was enough, however. What if she faced the Romanians or a werewolf? Though the chance of that was rare.

Marcus could lose Hekate to herself, not an outside threat. Everyone who knew her saw that she battled with depression still. She was in such a dark place as a human that she killed herself. What would happen if Hekate ever got like that again and he didn't notice? You couldn't save a vampire from their only chances at suicide.

Marcus didn't realize he was crying or letting out noises of pain until Hekate shushed him. She was hovering over him, wiping away his tears gently. She was frowning, looking like she could cry herself. "I'm s-sorry, dear."

Hekate shook her head, kissing his forehead gently. "Don't apologize… I just want to know what's wrong?" She was watching him sadly, sad for him. She hated to see him in pain, wanting to do anything to make it better. "Please, Marcus… Don't shut me out."

Marcus wrapped his arms around his mate, hiding his face in her long locks. "I don't want to lose you too, Hekate…" He let out a small sob just at saying those words out loud. "Not you too… I wouldn't be able to live another day… Losing Didyme nearly destroyed me, it's a wonder I made it to meet you. I'm so glad I found the strength to do so, but her memory plagues me. I don't regret our love, but it makes me realize how easily you can be taken away…"

Hekate gently brushed Marcus' hair back, "I'm not going anywhere, Marcus. I'm here to stay."

Marcus frowned down at her, pulling back. He ignored the venom tear falling down his cheek, joining the rest. "You're so fragile, dear… I nearly lost you before I even met you! You're living in an area full of wars between vampire covens! You could get hurt or ki-"

Hekate leaned forward, cupping Marcus' face in her right hand. She then quickly leaned in, pressing her lips to him. She smiled softly when Marcus went still, his tears stopping. His body stopped shaking as well, his brain trying to play catch up.

Hekate closed her eyes, relaxing into the kiss when she felt Marcus press back. She sighed softly when Marcus held the back of her neck, pulling her closer. His lips were a little thinner than Caius', had a different texture but she loved it just the same. He also was a little sweeter with his kisses. Caius was gentle but was expressing all his love for her through his kiss. Marcus was taking comfort in their love, having his mate there with him and safe.

Hekate pulled back when she felt a moan climbing up her throat. She looked down at her mate, biting her lip slightly. "I'm sorry… I just…"

Marcus chuckled softly, "It's quite alright, Hekate… Thank you for shutting me up." He then leaned up, gently kissing her again. This one didn't last more than a few seconds, but it was just as nice. "I love you, dear… I'm sorry for getting so emotional just from a children's movie."

Hekate gently caressed his cheek again, smiling down at him. Her heart wasn't beating anymore but it felt like it was. Her stomach was erupting with butterflies it seemed, more like hornets now than butterflies. "All it took was a kiss for you to proclaim your love for me?"

Marcus chuckled softly, loving the way her eyes looked when she was being sassy. "What will it take for you to proclaim your love?" He knew she loved them it was just up to her feeling comfortable saying it out loud. Marcus had no such problem. He loved Hekate so deeply it hurt to try and keep his affection toned for her.

Hekate smiled bashfully at him then, moving her fingers to his hair to play with it. "Oh, nothing drastic." She leaned in, kissing the tip of his ear before whispering softly. "Just tell me you love me again."

Marcus shuddered softly from her lips brushing against his ear. He then reached up, gently pulling her head down to bring her closer. He brushed his lips over hers softly, being teasingly slow and soft. "I love you, Hekate Jackson."

Hekate gasped softly as she watched him, wanting to hurt him but also drag their lips together and kiss for hours. Damn him. She didn't think Marcus would be the first one to make her sexually frustrated, much less after a Disney movie marathon!

"I love you too, my king."

{X}

Alice giggled loudly from her spot in the living room, having seen the vision before she heard Hekate's voice. "She told him she loves him!" She placed her hands over her heart, swooning as she collapsed in Jasper's lap. "I'm so happy for her!"

Jasper chuckled as he kissed Alice's forehead. "We all knew she would."

Alice pouted up at him, "Don't ruin the moment, Jasper, just because you're in protective dad mode."

Felix snickered at them, turning to Afton. "We may need to bring earplugs for the next time Marcus comes over."

Afton dodged a book that Jasper threw at them, shaking his head. "Felix, shut up."


	16. Chapter 16

_Dear: **Angel897, Animexchick, Silverdeaf1977, CrystalVixen93, Paige McCarthy, MageVicky, Marlastiano, Lelleg, LunarQueen01, Kay Starlight, Me And Not You 1001, The Book Traveling Librarian, LunarRise, Natalie, Maia2.0**_

 _Thank you so much to all of you for reviewing! It means so much to me!_

* * *

 _We're definately getting ball scenes in the future, many of them! There has to be a coronation sometime._

 _Hekate may seem childish but that is because she is a child. I'm only twenty-one but I realize that I don't feel like a real adult yet. She's eighteen physically (while Jasper and Alice are 19 physically) and mentally, she needs the support system because she is a child still. She has no family anymore and had been through very traumatic things. She'll be getting more independent soon, she's just undergoing character development._

 _I'm so glad you guys are liking the story so far! I hope this date lives up to the expectations!_

* * *

Hekate wandered into the living room, looking down at the book in her hand. It was one of the few Marcus had left that he translated for her. She had been through three of them so far, she was almost done with the last one. She was humming to a song she liked, until she noticed how quiet her parents were.

Jasper was frowning at Alice, staring her down. Alice was sitting across from him at the kitchen table, her hands crossed on the table. She was frowning at her husband, which was unusual. In the middle of the table was a bag, the object they both glanced warily at.

"What's up?"

Alice glanced at her, having heard her approach but she had been trying to get Jasper to give in. "Just a moment, sweetie."

Hekate raised an eyebrow as Jasper groaned loudly, shaking his head. "No."

"Yes."

"Darlin, no."

"Major, yes."

"I am not giving her that talk! She's almost eighteen. She knows about everything. She already told us this before in Volterra."

"So! She's never had sex with a vampire!"

Hekate turned on her heel, trying to escape. "I'm out."

"Young lady, get your ass back over here and sit down."

Hekate sighed as she turned around again, seeing Alice motioning to the chair between them. She flashed to the seat, sitting down. She then glanced at her father, begging him with her eyes.

Jasper shook his head, looking at his wife. "Do we really have to have this talk?"

Alice tapped her temple, giving both vampires a sassy look. "Yes, we do."

Hekate tapped her foot on the ground, glancing between them. She then leaned forward, looking into the bag. She would have turned bright red if she could have, instead she just flinched. The nearly full bag contained various kinds of lube and condoms. "What the hell!"

Alice raised an eyebrow at Hekate. "You're the one who's getting closer to your mates, which is perfectly normal! We just want you to be safe, just in case."

Jasper pinched his nose, mumbling softly. "It's not like she can get pregnant. I doubt the kings have any diseases."

Alice fixed him with a look. "Still."

Hekate shook her head quickly, "I've just kissed Caius and Marcus!"

Jasper got up, patting Hekate's shoulder. "Alice, she knows to be safe and careful."

Alice sighed, leaning back in her seat. "I know. It's just different when you're a vampire. Your body reacts differently. For you, if you get closer as a newborn, it will be overwhelming I'm sure."

Hekate covered her face, mumbling softly. "I'll be careful, mom… Can we please stop this?"

Alice looked between both of them. "Fine. I'll stop after this." She pointed at Hekate, narrowing her eyes. "You have to be careful because of your strength, I mean it, Hekate." She then lightly held her hand, "I know how upset you'll be if you end up hurting one of them by accident."

Hekate hid her face in her hair, nodding her head. "I'll be careful, mom."

Alice let her go and giggled softly, "Perfect. You're free now."

Jasper laughed when Hekate disappeared in a second, heading out to go on a hunt. "I don't blame her."

Alice giggled again as she leaned up against her husband, kissing his chest. "She'll be gone for two hours."

Jasper chuckled, feeling what she felt. "Just enough time." He picked her up, laying her over his shoulder as he carried her to their bedroom.

{X}

Hekate was in the middle of a sparring match with her uncle when her next visitor arrived, unfortunately.

Hekate smirked as she dodged Peter's strike, swiftly moving around him. She then held out her hand, making his legs go numb so he would fall. Peter stumbled before falling to his knees, not being able to walk now. That didn't mean he was defenseless. When Hekate got closer to him, he grabbed her, slamming her to the ground. Hekate groaned as the force caused a crater and a dust cloud to form. She growled lowly before she tackled her uncle, wrestling with him in the cloud.

Charlotte turned her attention away from the dust cloud when she heard the car finally pull up. Jasper and Alice turned as well, moving beside Charlotte. "Last but not least, hm?"

"HA, suck it, Peter!"

The cloud cleared just as Aro emerged from the car with Alec and Jane. Aro's excited expression turned to one of shock and confusion at what he saw. Alec looked confused while Jane was smirking devilishly.

Hekate had her left knee against Peter's throat, her right foot on his chest. Her hands were aimed at him, using her powers to make his entire body numb below his neck. Her hair was pulled back in a braid but was falling out from all the exercise she was doing. She was in a black sports bra, athletic capris and tennis shoes. Her outfit revealed a lot of skin, but it hadn't been a problem with her family.

It was a problem now, with Aro staring at all the pale skin revealed on his beautiful mate. Aro managed to smile guiltily when Jasper gave him a look. "Hello Car-"

Hekate snapped her head around, her hair flying from the quick movement. She grinned happily at her mate, "Aro!"

Jasper sighed as Peter quickly used Hekate's distraction. He kicked her back with both of his legs, sending her rolling across the ground. "Never turn your back on your enemy."

Peter chuckled as he stood up, dusting himself off. "Nice try, Hek-" He gasped as Hekate ran right at him, punching him so hard and so fast he couldn't block. He was sent through a tree, breaking it in half and rolling across the ground. Hekate hmphed as she dusted herself off, rolling her shoulders.

Jasper laughed, watching as his friend slowly got to his feet. "Never get cocky."

Hekate turned to see Aro making his way to her. She then realized what she was wearing, smiling shyly. "Hello."

Aro chuckled softly, tilting her head up and kissing her forehead softly. "Hello cara mia, did we interrupt training?"

Alec smiled at Hekate, "I'd be willing to help."

Jane smirked at him, "I'd be better at helping train her, Alec."

Hekate laughed as the siblings began arguing. She smiled up at her mate happily, getting lost in his ruby eyes. "It's okay, we've been out here for a couple of hours." She leaned up and kissed his cheek, "Let me get cleaned up really quick?"

Aro nodded happily, though he kept his slight disappointment to himself. He didn't mind giving her time to freshen up, though he did mind losing the beautiful view he had of her skin now. "Of course, cara mia. Take your time." He watched as Hekate smiled shyly at the Volturi members before rushing inside, her mother on her feels.

Peter awkwardly headed back towards his wife, "My king."

Aro nodded at him, his instincts wanting him to punish Peter for hurting his mate. He, however, knew that it was all for Hekate's benefit and enjoyment. She liked training with her family and she needed to learn how to defend herself. Especially when she officially becomes Queen of the Volturi. All the Volturi's enemies will be going after her. "Peter." He then turned to Jasper, raising an eyebrow. "Have the plans changed?"

Jasper shook his head, moving closer to the Volturi. "No, Alice said it's all the same."

Aro grinned happily, clapping his hands together. "Excellent." He turned to Jane and Alec, "Jane, run ahead and set up everything my dear."

Jasper sighed as he remembered the boxes of things that Aro had shipped to their house. He just shook his head as both Jane and Alec disappeared. His whole family was insane, including the future extended version of his family.

{X}

Hekate raised an eyebrow at her mother when the clothes in her hands were replaced with others. "You already know what I chose to do today?"

Alice winked at her, "I knew the second you decided, a couple hours after Marcus left."

Hekate rolled her eyes fondly, a smile on her lips. She then pulled on the clothes, looking in the mirror. She had on an old, black, Metallica shirt with a sports bra underneath. She had on a light blue flannel over the shirt. She had on jean shorts that showed off her tattoos, something she didn't think the other two kings knew about. Aro knew everything about her but that couldn't be helped.

Hekate looked up when Alice quickly began redoing Hekate's fishtail braid. "Thank you."

Alice kissed her shoulder when she was done, smiling up at her. "You're welcome! I know you're going to have fun." She then playfully shoved her daughter towards the door.

Hekate felt her stomach clenching from nervousness, heading back outside. She smiled when she saw Jasper and Aro talking quietly, everyone else gone. Hekate looked around, not being able to hear anyone either. "Where is everyone?"

Jasper smiled at her, "Peter and Charlotte went out for the night."

Aro moved to Hekate, holding her hands gently. "Jane and Alec went to take care of something for me, they'll be back shortly."

Hekate raised an eyebrow at Aro, wondering if she should let it go or not. She knew he was lying and he now knew that too. She then decided she didn't care all that much, she was just happy he was here!

Aro grinned brightly down at her, his red eyes seeming brighter than normal. "I'm so happy to be with you again, cara mia."

Hekate looked back to see that her parents were gone as well. She narrowed her eyes before turning back to Aro, "Well then."

Aro laughed softly, reaching up to caress her cheek. "They just want us to have some form of privacy, I'm sure."

Hekate leaned into his touch, missing him terribly. Since he was the last to visit, they had the longest time apart. "I missed you so much, Aro…"

Aro kissed her forehead, rubbing her cheek. "I missed you just as much, cara mia." He looked into her eyes, letting her know he meant it.

Hekate felt the butterflies again, shyly looking away from his intense gaze. "So, for our date, I hope you won't hate this idea…"

"Of course not! Camping is such a relaxing exp-" Aro paused his little speech when he saw Hekate frowning up at him. "Oh… You didn't tell me yet."

Hekate laughed at how upset he looked, shaking her head. "I'm a little mad that my mom ruined the surprise, but it's okay."

Aro held his hands together in a praying motion, "Oh, please don't be mad. She called and saw how excited I was going to be! She also saw a vision of me complaining about not getting you the finest things instead of these normal th-"

Hekate placed her finger on Aro's lips, shushing him. She raised an eyebrow at him, her lips pulled up in the corner like a certain Whitlock. "You're rambling again."

Aro laughed softly, kissing her finger and then her hand. "I apologize, cara mia. I only meant to say, I brought my own supplies!"

Hekate glanced towards the garage where her car sat, fully loaded. She then shook her head, shrugging. This was Aro she was talking about, he was always over the top with everything. "I don't expect anything else from you."

Aro chuckled softly, shaking his head. "I deserve that." He then kissed her hand, squeezing it gently. "Would you rather run there?"

Hekate nodded softly, clipping her braid to the back of her head. "It'd be a lot faster." She then smirked at Aro, "That is, if you can keep up." She then took off, not letting him respond.

Aro gaped at his mate, watching her disappear before his eyes. He laughed softly before running after her, feeling young again. He hadn't felt like this even before he was turned. He managed to catch up with her, but he knew she wasn't going as fast as she could. She was still a newborn and could easily outrun him.

Hekate smiled at him, the setting sun just hitting her skin making it glitter in the light. Her eyes were slowly turning into a unique shade of red and amber, a perfect mix between her families. She looked like a dark angel, which is what she was to all her mates. The perfect mix between beautiful and evil, smart and deadly, gentle and rough, light and dark.

Aro followed his mate as they ran through the desert, heading into the national park land. They climbed some rock formations before finally getting to a clearing surrounding by more rock walls, forming a little alcove with a wide view of the sky. Hekate had picked it for the privacy, however, Jane and Alec were arguing over how to put a tent together.

Hekate looked around seeing a two-person hammock set up, a fluffy blanket over it with lots of pillows. There was a fire going in a pit, a camping loveseat set up with more blankets. There were rugs set up across the space, and Hekate just knew they weren't from a regular store. They looked way too expensive for that. There was a fully made bed on another rug, fully made with tons of pillows and blankets on it as well. There were even two nightstands next to the bed, waiting to be moved into the tent. There were lanterns everywhere, some waiting to be in the tent.

Hekate felt her heart swell, knowing just how much thought Aro put into getting everything he wanted to make them comfortable. Hekate just wanted a hammock and to cuddle all night while stargazing. This was amazing. Hekate leaned over and held her mate's hand, smiling at him happily as he read her thoughts.

Aro grinned brightly at her, forgetting his amusement from the twins being unable to pitch a tent. "I am so happy you love it, dear. I only wanted to make you comfortable and make it easier for you."

Hekate kissed his cheek, caressing his other cheek. "I appreciate it, Aro, thank you." She then moved to the twins, smiling down at them. "You're just not putting the support in correctly." She picked up one of the metal pieces, sliding it in the tent the right way.

Jane grumbled at Alec, "I told you."

Alec sighed, pinching his nose. "Whatever, sis."

Aro laughed softly, rubbing both of their shoulders. "It's alright. It's not often that we use camping gear."

Alec snorted, mumbling. "We never have." He then looked away at the look Aro gave him. He then began quickly running back and forth, placing the rest of the furniture inside the now finished tent.

Hekate giggled as Aro came up to her, holding her hand and twirling her until her back was against his chest. His hand was holding hers, over her stomach. He used his other hand to rub her other arm, kissing her head. "Hello."

Aro smiled down at her, loving the sound of her laughter. "Hello, cara mia." He glanced up when Jane and Alec stood in front of them, bowing their heads. "Thank you both, go and enjoy yourselves. We'll be okay." Alec and Jane both nodded, glancing at them both before disappearing.

Hekate looked up at him, unknowingly pressing more into Aro. "They're not really leaving you alone are they? Not that you need them, but I just didn't think the Volturi would leave a king unguarded, ever."

Aro ignored the spark of pleasure he felt from her pressing into him. He smiled at her little ramble to try to not insult him. "It's alright, they're leaving but not going too far. We do have a policy not to leave a royal member unguarded, you are correct."

Hekate nodded softly, swaying softly to the sound of the fire crackling. She was enjoying being held by Aro too much to move. "Okay."

Aro rubbed her arms as he read her thoughts, so happy to please her just by holding her. It made him just as happy to hold her. "I can't wait until we are all together, cara mia." He turned her around, kissing her hand as he smiled down at her. "I am not rushing you, Hekate. I just missed you terribly and I will miss you as soon as I leave."

Hekate hugged him, laying her head on his chest. She watched the fire crackling as she rubbed his back, day dreaming about life with her mates. "I can't wait either, Aro…" She would miss her parents, but she was becoming an adult in human years, she had to grow up. She was excited about living in the castle with the Volturi, however. She wanted to get to know the rest of the guard, learn more about her new coven, learn more about her mates.

Aro hummed as he began dancing with her, leading her in an intricate sequence that he had memorized centuries ago. "I can't wait to teach you about it all, cara mia. Our coven is going to love you and you will be an amazing queen."

Hekate smiled bashfully up at him, managing to follow him surprisingly. "Really?"

Aro gently caressed her cheek, nodding softly. "Of course, I would never lie to you, Hekate." He then looked up, seeing the sun beginning to set. He smiled back down at his mate, "You chose a wonderful spot."

Hekate held his hand, leading him to the hammock. She laid down, waiting for him to lay beside her. Once he did, she curled up to his side, laying her head on his chest. "Now I did."

Aro laughed softly at that, brushing her hair with his fingers while he watched the sky change colors. "You've been to a few places now, cara mia, what kind of scenery do you love the most? A cityscape like New York? A forest like Washington?"

Hekate thought about it while watching the sky beginning to get dark, the last bit of warm colors fading away. "I don't really like the city anymore…" She pushed back the dark thoughts that threatened to pop up. "I prefer nature in any form, though the desert can be a little bland. I don't mind Texas so much since Jasper is from here and he loves it."

Aro wrapped a blanket over them, turning to face her. "If you hadn't had been turned, would you have gotten more tattoos?"

Hekate smiled at him, wondering who would be the first to bring them up. "Definitely. I love tattoos. They can express who you are, give you an outlet for your inner thoughts and are beautiful works of art."

Aro hummed softly, brushing her hair back. "An outlet to express yourself because you have had to hide your entire life."

Hekate frowned softly up at him, "I only had to be Haya for a while…"

Aro shook his head, "From yourself, Hekate. You hid from your own gifts."

Hekate frowned, looking away from him. He was right, and she knew it. She just didn't want to admit that she was that weak. She had hidden inside herself since she was ten. She felt like a monster, so she had to punish herself. Therefore, she began shying away from human contact unless she wore gloves. She tried not to get emotional because she could feel her power tingling when she was.

Aro tilted her head up, frowning down at her. "Cara mia… You are not weak." He held her head still when she tried to hide from him. "Don't hide from me, my love… Please…"

Hekate sighed before meeting his gaze again, blinking away the venom tears that began to build. "How?"

Aro kissed her forehead, closing his eyes as he held her close. "You're not weak, you were just afraid. How could you ever consider yourself weak? You worked very hard in school, you were there for your mother after that horrible night. You were working towards becoming a nurse, a very rewarding and tough career. You managed to escape from that monster, making it to the police. You were going to be a witness and agreed to be placed in witness protection. You battled against a horrible illness while being absolutely alone. You are one of the strongest people I know, Hekate. I'm so proud to have you as my mate."

Hekate couldn't help but cry at that, feeling so touched and strong for once. If Aro of all people thought she was strong, she had to be. She really didn't deserve someone as amazing as him, but she was so happy he was hers. "Th… Thank you."

Aro quickly began wiping her tears away with the blanket, a frown on his lips. "I didn't mean to make you cry, cara mia. I'm so sorry."

Hekate smiled, sniffling softly. "It's okay, Aro. That was really sweet." She caught his hand and kissed it gently, smiling up at him. "Really sweet."

Aro froze at the thoughts he was getting from Hekate, a nervous feeling building in his stomach. One that had no business being there. He was very experienced in every aspect of a physical relationship, including kissing. Why did the information that Hekate wanted to kiss him make his brain go haywire?

Hekate giggled softly, realizing what had happened. She had broken her mate. She kissed his hand again, holding his hand and squeezing gently. "You don't have to, if you feel like you're not ready."

Aro relaxed finally, chuckling softly. "No, we don't have to but we both want to." He leaned over her, being careful not to flip them in the hammock. He rubbed her cheek before pressing his lips against hers. He felt a shock go through him at the contact, moving his lips with hers. He knew she felt the same, even without his gift. She was pressing back against him, pulling him closer.

Hekate groaned as they continued kissing, tangling her fingers in his hair. She felt like electricity was running through her veins, making her press against him more. That was until he gently nipped at her lip, leaving it tingling afterwards. She groaned before tugging on his hair, biting his own lip back. "Two can play that game."

Aro smirked down at her, knowing just how worked up she was getting. He didn't want to go much farther than this yet, not wanting to make her uncomfortable even if she wasn't yet. She had never done anything past kissing before and wanted to make everything special for her, as would his brothers. His smirk was wiped off when Hekate flipped them over in a second, using her superior speed and strength. He didn't have time to respond, her lips being on his in a second. He closed his eyes, melting into the kiss again.

{X}

Hekate was curled up on the bed, Aro facing her with his arms wrapped around her. They had moved there a few hours after the sun set, waiting for sunrise. They had laid there, talking about anything and everything. Aro even opened up about Didyme, how the Romanians killed her. Hekate discussed battling with depression with Aro, Aro reassuring her that most old vampires had battled with it at one time. Marcus himself struggled for centuries.

Their conversations made Hekate feel more and more comfortable with the idea of living with them. That's why, as the sun was coming up, she made the decision. She turned to Aro, glad he wasn't touching her at the moment. She smiled at him, "Aro… I'm going to be going on a trip in two weeks."

Aro hummed softly as he watched her, in a very content mood so it was almost like he was sleepy. "Where to?"

Hekate leaned over, kissing him gently. "Volterra."

Aro sat up quickly, alert now. "Volterra?"

Hekate nodded softly, tapping her chin as if to mean she was thinking. "I may need to borrow a few guard members to help me move all my stuff. Alice can probably ship the rest to you."

Aro was almost shaking from his spot across from her, "You're moving into the castle?"

Hekate nodded happily, laughing softly. "Yes."

Aro grinned, pulling her into his lap and hugging her tightly. "That's amazing!" He squeezed her before kissing her passionately, "I'm so happy!"

Hekate giggled as Aro kissed her face all over, "I'll be with you and the rest of our family in Volterra in two weeks."


	17. Chapter 17

_So, this chapter was a lot different than what I had planned. I hope you still like it! Hekate will be moving in next chapter, I promise._

* * *

 _ **Zigra1825, CrystalVixen93, Animexchick, Marlastiano, Angel897, Me And Not You 1001, Maia2.0, Paige McCarthy** and **Skywroe**! Thank you guys for reviewing!_

 _There will definitely be a party in the future! Hekate's ability to see ghosts will be an issue, but will be worked on._

 _I'm also so happy you guys loved the first dates between all the kings, I was kind of worried Aro's date was a let down in comparison. I'm glad you loved it._

* * *

Hekate grinned when she got a phone call from Caius, she even waited two rings to answer. She knew what it was about before she accepted the call. "Hello C-"

"You're moving in!?"

Hekate laughed, along with her coven who could hear the conversation. They were all sitting in the living room when Caius called. "Yes, in two weeks."

"Aro just told us, I was too excited to wait to call. You'll be home in two weeks!"

Hekate smiled happily, loving hearing Caius sound so happy and excited about something. "Do you think you can wait to see me for two weeks?"

"For you? Anything, my love… Shut up, Aro! I can… I have to go, my love, Aro is going crazy about preparing your rooms."

"Wait, rooms? Caius!?" Hekate sighed when Caius hung up, glancing up at her parents. "Rooms?"

Alice giggled, "You're a queen, what did you expect?"

Hekate sighed, curling up on the couch so her feet were under her. "I just hate that I'm the one breaking up our coven."

Peter reached over, rubbing her knee. "You may be leaving up the coven, but you are not breaking us up and definitely not our family. We will always be your coven and family."

Jasper smiled at her, "We may be going back to the Cullens, but you will always be welcome there."

Alice smirked, "We'll kick Edward and Bella out for you. I know the rest of the Cullens miss you."

Hekate laughed softly, "Thank you. I miss them too. You'll have to send them my love when you go back."

Jasper nodded softly, "Of course we will." He then smiled at her, sensing her nervousness. "We'll all be visiting you periodically in Volterra, you won't be able to miss us."

Charlotte turned to face her niece, a grin on her face. "It's not like you'll be lonely. You have three mates and an entire guard who seem to love you."

Hekate nodded softly, playing with the sleeve of her shirt. "I know… It's going to take me a while to get used to that."

Jasper got up and hugged his daughter, kissing the top of her head. "You'll be alright, Darlin."

Alice squeezed into the hug, grinning up at her two-favorite people. "I want in on the group hug!" Peter laughed, getting in on it too with his wife.

{X}

Aro sat at the table in his office, lots of papers spread out on the surface. Marcus, Caius, Athenodora and Sulpicia were sitting with him. Heidi, Renata and Jane were spread around the room as well. The papers held plans for the remodels on Hekate's room. They had updated all the plumbing, wiring and bathroom for her. However, they didn't know when she was arriving before. Now they had two weeks to get everything completed.

Athenodora read the list of what they needed to get done, looking up at her family as she did. "We need a new furniture set including: a dresser, two nightstands, a bedframe, mattresses, an entertainment stand, couch, coffee table, lamps, desk and chair and a bookcase. The walk-in closet is completed thankfully."

Aro nodded, writing down a new list on his stationary. "Yes. I'm getting the bedframe custom made, it will be done by the end of the week. The rest I have ordered, they will be arriving in a few days."

Caius had a list of everything he needed to get for Hekate, electronics wise. He was going to go shopping with Felix and Demetri that evening when the sun set. "I got all the electronics."

Marcus had his own list, looking over the lists the others had. "I'm going to fill up her bookcase, her desk and study area."

Sulpicia had a list of what the kings had told her that Hekate liked. "I'm going with you Marcus, I'm going to get some artwork and some more things for the room."

Athenodora looked over at Heidi and Jane, "We're going shopping for the bedspreads, blankets, pillows, curtains, towels and other things like that."

Jane smiled, nodding softly. "I don't think she's going to like all the fuss you're making over her."

Aro waved his hand in the air, "It's worth it because we want her room to be perfect."

Caius nodded, "I want her to be as comfortable here as she was with her parents. I want her to want to stay with us."

Athenodora smiled at her ex-husband, patting his hand. "She's your mate, dear, she will want to stay with you just to be with you. Relax."

Sulpicia smiled as she patted Marcus' arm, "All of you. She's chosen to move in way earlier than any of us expected, that's great news! She wants to be with you more, so she's feeling the bond just as much as you do. Don't forget that."

Aro rubbed his fingers over the order form for Hekate's new throne, a smile forming on his lips. "I wish I could share her thoughts with you, my brothers…" He looked over at them, his eyes a little watery from venom tears building up. "She really does love us all."

Jane smiled at Heidi and Renata, so happy that their masters found their mate and she was joining them. They were the happiest they've ever been, and it made the entire coven come alive.

Caius had to clear his throat, looking away from everyone. "Alright, is that everything?"

Marcus shook his head, having to blink away some tears as well. "Alice did say she was shipping a lot of Hekate's things here. They should be here in three days."

Aro nodded, "Heidi, will you please let the secretary know to look out for all these packages? We will have the lower guard ready to carry them for her."

Heidi bowed her head, leaving the room to do just that. "Yes, master."

Aro then got up, clasping his hands together. "Alright, let's get to work."

{X}

Hekate paused Nightmare Before Christmas, the second movie of their Disney marathon that night. They had started with Hercules, now moving onto one of Alice's favorites. That was until Alice picked up her phone before it even began ringing.

"Hello Edward."

Hekate glared at the phone in Alice's hand, her anger rising just from hearing Edward greet his sister.

"Hello Alice, dad said you were coming home? Did Hekate finally run off to those monsters of hers?"

Hekate squeezed the remote in her hand so hard that it shattered into tiny pieces, her nails trying to dig into her palms but couldn't.

"Oh, shut up, Edward. She is your queen and you should show her the respect she deserves, as do the kings. They won't like you constantly disrespecting them. Especially with your human's life on the line, remember?"

Jasper growled lowly, his eyes moving from his wife to his daughter. "And whose fault was that?"

"Rosalie's and Hekate's, actually! Rose made me be-"

Hekate got up, slamming the door behind her so hard it fell off the hinges, slamming on the ground. She then ran off the property before anyone could stop her. She kept running, not wanting to hear that bastard's voice anymore. She ignored the buzzing of her phone in her pocket, not caring if it was her family or mates. She didn't want to talk to anyone right now. She just wanted to hunt and be alone. Do something to get her mind off that asshole!

How dare he call her mates monsters? Sure, they killed people, a lot of people, but still. They had to kill those people to keep the world safe, as well as the vampire secret. Humans would wipe them out otherwise, they were keeping the vampires safe. She also didn't cause the mess Edward got himself in, he did that himself. He rushed to the Volturi to kill himself without even checking to see if Bella was really dead. If he had taken a few hours out of his immortal life, he could have prevented all of this. He was then the one who was rude to the Volturi, tried to attack a guard and the future queen. No one forced him to do any of those things.

Oh, she wished she never pleaded for his life. He didn't deserve it! He wasn't gracious after all the shit he pulled, and she had to do. She was the only reason he and Bella were alive! Hekate punched a rock formation, watching it crumble from the impact. She was seething, baring her teeth at the rubble. That was until she heard someone approaching her. She turned, expecting one of her family members to have followed her.

What she didn't expect was three vampires she had never seen before. She stood up straight, turning to face the three of them. They stopped a few feet away from her, looking her over. They recognized the bright eyes as a newborn, but the strange shade was unusual, meaning she was a Cullen. They put the clues together, realizing who she was. Their leader, Maria, had been ranting about her for weeks.

"Hekate?"

Hekate narrowed her eyes at them, crossing her arms and shifting her weight to be ready to move. "I'm afraid I don't know your names, but you know mine."

The blond of the group smirked at her, "Such a shame. I'm William. This is Victor and Mark."

Victor, the one with black hair, was not hiding how he much he didn't like her. He was glaring at her, his teeth exposed as an intimidation technique. His arms were crossed over his chest, puffing it out.

Mark looked bored, his brown hair buzzed close to his skull. He was watching William, rolling his eyes as he introduced him. "Can we hurry this up?"

Hekate refused to act nervous, scared or worried in front of the three of them. She was positive she could kill them if they tried to attack her. She knew Alice would see if something bad happened, sending her family to help. "And what would that be?"

Victor strolled forward, a predatory look in his eyes. "Well, our leader wants you dead, sweetheart."

Hekate hated hearing that nickname from his lips, then focusing on the rest of his statement. "Who would that be?" She held her ground but began using her powers, increasing as the closer he got to her.

Victor frowned as he felt his hands and feet going numb, not having felt that since he was human. "Maria? Who else?"

William smirked at her but then watched his friend as he stood still, "Victor?"

Victor shuddered, not being able to feel his body anymore, barely able to stay standing. "I can't move."

Mark sighed, "Maria told us about this, you idiot." He then disappeared, going for Hekate's throat.

Hekate gasped, dropping to the ground to avoid his attack. She sprung up, facing him and attacking him. She couldn't focus on a single target, so she spread out her powers in a wide arc around her. "Did Maria tell you I could have easily killed her? I let her go if she promised to leave my family alone."

Mark growled as he dodged her attack, barely, her speed was no match for his subpar skills. He was going to get killed if he didn't watch it. "She's not going after your family, is she?"

William came up behind her since Victor was down, unable to move. "And she sent us instead, so she's not breaking the promise."

Hekate cursed as William nearly got his arms around her throat. She dropped, kicking out Mark's legs while William skid past her. She regretted running off on her own, she also really needed better training. She didn't want to just rely on her powers, but she was going to have to.

"Just stand still and we'll make your death painless!"

Hekate frowned as Mark and William stood in front of her, trying to persuade her. "I don't think so." She held out her hands, closing her eyes so she could better focus. She focused on her chest, imagining her power as if it flowed through her veins. She gathered it in her hands before spreading it out in a large blast. She felt the life draining from the men around her, feeling her power stop after they were dead.

Hekate then dropped, panting as she looked around her. Victor was still on the ground, but his eyes were glazed over. William's body was crumpled on the ground in front of her. He was frozen in place while trying to reach her. Mark was frozen on the ground, permanently baring his teeth in a fierce growl.

Hekate's legs, arms and hands were shaking from using such a large pulse of her power. She hadn't exactly practiced killing people, so she overexerted herself. She groaned as she tried to stand, falling back onto her knees. She was still too shaky and weak to move yet. She moved until her legs were spread out, reaching into her pocket. She pulled out her phone, shakingly opening it to see her long list of notifications.

 _ **Jasper Whitlock [8:12pm]:**_ _When you calm down, please text one of us back. We're worried, darlin._

 _ **Alice Whitlock [8:26pm]:**_ _Hekate, run home, now! Maria's men are out looking for you._

 _ **Alice Whitlock [8:30pm]:**_ _Hekate, sweetheart, we're on our way!_

 _ **Jasper Whitlock [8:30pm]:**_ _Peter, Alice and I are on the way. Charlotte is on the phone with Caius. You're going to be okay, no one else is coming from Maria's coven._

 _ **Aro Volturi [8:32pm]:**_ _We are all on our way to Texas now, cara mia. Don't fret, it wasn't your fault. We will be there as soon as we can. We love you._

Hekate managed to text Aro back, barely able to do that with how badly she was shaking. She wished they weren't making a fuss over her, but she would be glad when they arrived. She just didn't want them to have to leave Volterra and risk their own safety for her comfort.

 _ **Hekate Whitlock V [8:38pm]:**_ _I'm alright, Aro. I'm just really shaky and exhausted from overusing my powers. My parents should be here any second. I'll be waiting on you, but you don't have to come, I'm alright._

Hekate felt a smile forming on her lips when she got an immediate reply from her mate.

 _ **Aro Volturi [8:39pm]:**_ _Nothing in heaven or hell could prevent us from going to you, cara mia. We are so glad you are okay, please rest the best you can. Marcus is nearly crying in his seat, I'm trying my best to console him. Caius is pissed someone would dare go after you, he's bringing you a temporary Volturi crest, so this doesn't happen again._

Hekate laughed softly, feeling her heart ache from missing her mates. She loved them so much. She could just see Aro trying his best to comfort Marcus. Marcus would be so scared about losing her like his late wife. Aro would be worried but he has a calmer mind under stress than the other two. Caius of course would be super stressed and hiding his pain behind his anger.

"Hekate!"

Hekate looked up to see her coven rushing towards her, minus her aunt. Jasper knelt on the ground beside her, rubbing her arm since he could see her shaking still. "How are you feeling?"

They all knew what happened thanks to Alice's visions, not needing to ask. They were now focused on Hekate and the bodies. Peter was watching her worriedly while he checked the bodies, ripping their heads off for good measure.

Alice moved to Hekate's other side, brushing her hair down in a comforting gesture. "Are you in pain?"

Hekate shook her head, leaning into her father. "No, my limbs just feel weak and shaky. I feel really drained as well. I think I'll be okay with time and rest." She then smiled bashfully up at her family. "I can't walk, though."

Jasper held her gently when she leaned into him, rubbing her arm. "That's alright, Darlin, I'll carry you." He wrapped his arm around her back, the other under the bend of her knees. He lifted her up easily, making sure she was secure in his arms. "Just relax and try to rest."

Alice kissed her cheek before helping Peter with the bodies, "We'll take care of this, you two head back to the house." Alice then looked Peter in the eyes, frowning. "Be careful, I don't see anyone else going after her but that can change."

Jasper nodded, leaning down to kiss his wife. "We'll be careful, Darlin." He then took off running, heading back home.

Hekate leaned into her dad's chest, watching the scenery passing them by. "They're going to be really mad at me after they calm down…" She looked up at Jasper, frowning. "Are you guys mad at me for running off? I wasn't paying attention and nearly got myself killed... I was an idiot."

Jasper glanced down, feeling her emotions heading to a dark place. He shook his head softly, slowing down when they got closer to the house. "Alice isn't mad, but I am a little, only because you were so reckless." He saw Hekate frown, curling in on herself. "But that's okay, I don't blame you. You're a newborn, Hekate. Your emotions are amplified, and you have a tough time handling such anger. I just hope in the future you will try to be more careful. I don't know what I'd do if I lost you again."

Hekate felt better but even worse than before, all at the same time. "I'm sorry, dad." She sighed softly, closing her eyes. "I promise to be more careful… I was really scared…"

Jasper felt his heart ache for his daughter, knowing how that feels. The first time he had to fight another newborn, he was terrified. He knew that only eased with experience and when he finally felt confident in his abilities. Hekate would reach that soon, he was sure of it. He carried her inside, taking her to her room. He laid her down on the bed, sighing softly. "I felt the same way once, Hekate." He looked down at her as she got comfy, "We can continue your training until you become more skilled and confident."

Hekate leaned back on her many pillows, smiling tiredly up at Jasper. "I'd like that, thank you…"

Jasper kissed her head, smiling at her. "Of course. I know Peter will help as well." He then stood up, winking at her. "You do have a whole coven of fighters to help train you as well. I'm sure you taking on Felix could help."

Hekate raised her eyebrows, wondering if she was stronger than Felix since she was a newborn. Somehow, she doubted she could beat him. Though, training with Demetri and the twins sounded nice. She really didn't want to train with her mates even though she knew they had to be good fighters.

"I'm going to talk to Charlotte, just call for us if you need anything."

Hekate nodded softly, thanking him quietly. She then closed her eyes, curling up on her bed which required more effort than usual. She laid there, resting as she listened to Charlotte and Jasper. They were discussing what to do about Maria, until Peter and Alice returned. They had burned the bodies, spreading the ashes until nothing remained. Hekate listened to them for about an hour until they joined her. They laid around her on the bed, watching movies with her quietly. That was until they heard a car pulling up outside.

{X}

Demetri looked in the rear-view mirror, frowning at the state the kings were in. They were a lot calmer than they were on the plane, especially when they got update texts from Alice. They all knew the queen was alright, but she nearly hadn't been. Alice had let it slip that if Hekate hadn't used her powers at that time, she could have died.

He hoped they didn't blow up on Hekate like they did on the plane. Caius was discussing twenty-four seven watches on the queen until she was safe in the castle. Marcus was so scared about losing her like he did the late queen. He was death gripping the seat the entire flight, undoubtedly coming up with plans to protect Hekate. Aro sat Jane, Alec and himself down. He wanted them to track down Maria and bring her back. That was after they checked in on the queen.

Demetri looked back at the gravel driveway leading to the queen's home, feeling worried about her himself. She was very nice to him, even when they had just met. He knew something was different about her, not knowing that she was his future queen. Ever since then, though, he had grown to like her. She was a dear friend to him, not just his queen. He truly cared for her and he knew it had nothing to do with Chelsea's powers. The other royal guard members felt the same, although not a lot of others had gotten to know her because she was only in Volterra for two days.

Demetri relaxed his shoulders when he pulled up beside the garage. He saw Felix park his car next to his. "Here we-" He paused when the kings were gone suddenly, both doors left open on the car. "We're here."

Aro, Marcus and Caius all ran right to Hekate's room. They only slowed down when they walked in, turning to see everyone in there. Peter and Charlotte got off the bed, moving to the other side of the room to make room for them. Jasper and Alice had been cuddling with Hekate until they arrived, but were now standing by her dresser.

Hekate was laid on a bunch of pillows, having changed into a soft shirt and shorts. Her hair was pulled back into a bun. She wasn't shaking anymore but she was still drained. She didn't have the energy to move around much and felt very lethargic.

Marcus had to lean against the wall, seeing with his own eyes that his mate was alive and well. He had his hand to his heart, his eyes looking Hekate over from head to toe while looking for any injuries.

Caius moved to Hekate's right side, taking her hand and squeezing tightly but not enough to hurt her. "I'm so glad you're alright."

Hekate kissed Caius' hand, "I just found you, you're not getting rid of me yet."

Caius closed his eyes, resting his forehead on their conjoined hands. "Never, Hekate." He wasn't telling her no, more pleading her to never leave him. He was the one shaking now, trying to keep his cool with the audience they had. He never liked to seem weak in front of anyone, except Hekate and his brothers.

Hekate felt her heart break just by looking at his expression. She then turned to Marcus and Aro. Aro was holding Jasper's hand now, reading his thoughts and memories. Marcus was watching her, tears forming in his eyes. Hekate squeezed Caius' hand while holding out her other hand to Marcus. "Come here, mio caro."

Marcus felt touched that she called him dear in Italian, especially when she was feeling so bad. She was always thinking of them, she was such an amazing woman. He sat down beside her, kissing her forehead. "Dear…"

Hekate reached up with her free hand, caressing his cheek gently. "I'm fine, Marcus, or I will be. I'm just tired now." She smiled sadly when Marcus leaned into her touch, frowning down at her. "I promise, Marcus." She leaned up and kissed him briefly, "I love you."

Marcus kissed her forehead before leaning back, squeezing her hand. "I love you too, dear." He looked over when Aro sat beside him. He turned to the rest of her coven, "Will you tell me more about this Maria?"

Jasper frowned before nodding, "Of course." He held hands with his wife, knowing this would be a difficult topic for him. He then headed towards the living room, addressing Marcus as he walked. "Let's give Hekate some space and talk in here."

Caius squeezed Hekate's hand one more time, leaning up to kiss her softly. "I will be back soon." He then followed the rest of the coven. Peter and Charlotte went to provide their sides to Maria's tale.

Aro turned to his mate, frowning. "I am going to kill her, Hekate. I promise."

Hekate pulled him down beside her. She then curled up on her side, resting her forehead against his. "She deserves it, for so many reasons." She then sighed as she felt Aro rubbing her shoulder, over her shirt. "Aro, you can go ahead and see what happened."

Aro kissed her forehead, tucking her head under his chin. He wrapped his arms around her, forming a protective cocoon for her. He knew from Jasper's memories that she had been terrified. She even felt scared when they arrived. He didn't have to read her memories to know why. She was nervous about how they'd react. He didn't blame her, she knew them well enough to know they'll discuss this later. For now, they were just finding comfort in each other. Aro then placed his hands on her arms, making contact. He closed his eyes, relieving everything she had seen, thought and felt since he left.

Hekate curled up more to Aro when he finally moved, knowing he was done. "I'm sorry, Aro…"

Aro shook his head, gently shushing her. "It's alright, cara mia, we will have that talk later. For now, we want you to rest."

Hekate looked up at him, a small smile forming. "Okay…" She then let out a quiet laugh when Caius appeared on her other side, kissing the back of her head. Marcus appeared then, placing her lower half in his lap. He began rubbing her feet, smiling at her. "Thank you."

Caius shook his head, squeezing her gently. "You don't need to thank us."

Aro kissed her forehead, looking into her eyes, loving the unique shade of amber. "Rest now, we're not leaving your side."

Hekate looked at Aro, then at her other mates. She frowned softly, feeling a little anxious. "Promise?"

Marcus squeezed her knee, leaning over her as he spoke. "We promise, Hekate. You are our mate, the other half to our hearts and souls. We love you so much, dear, don't ever doubt that. We will be here, not moving an inch unless you ask us to."

Hekate sat up at that, though she struggled to support her body weight. She smiled at Caius when he supported her, letting her lean against him. "I don't deserve you three… You are so amazing."

Aro shushed her, kissing her softly on the lips. "Cara mia, we can all agree that you are the amazing one."

Marcus pushed her back down, Caius gently laying her down with him. "Now, rest. If need be I will ask your father for help."

Hekate huffed at that, hearing her father laughing in the distance. "Fine, fine." She relaxed, enjoying cuddling with her mates. Though, she kept thinking about the talk she would have to have with them later. That wasn't going to go well…


	18. Chapter 18

**_Rebecca90, AnimeFreak71777, Marlastiano, Angel897, Skywroe, Lyryenn, musicluver246, CrystalVixen93, TriumviraVolturi, DarkAngel2581, Me And Not You 1001, FieryRedSunrise, LunarRise, Katlolhogg_** _and_ ** _guest!_**

 _Thank you to everyone who reviewed! It means so much to me!_

 _"Something will have to be done about that brat and his pet human" had me dying! Yes, something will have to be done about them in the future._

 _Gosh, you guys! Your support for this story is just so amazing. It made me cry re-reading all the reviews together. Thank you so much, it helps me keep going with this story._

* * *

 _We're finally to the big transition chapter! Plot lines are being tied up, leading into a fluff phase for a while. Then we're going to hit Eclipse running! I can't wait to remix Eclipse to fit this story. The Volturi are going to have a bigger part in the story than in canon._

* * *

Hekate didn't feel well enough to move around on her own for a few hours, not until midnight. Hekate walked to the kitchen, her mates walking behind and around her in case she stumbled. She smiled when she saw Jasper and Felix playing a card game with Alice and Peter. Charlotte was curled up on the couch, watching a movie. Alec, Jane and Demetri were still gone for some reason.

Hekate opened the fridge, pulling out a gallon of red liquid. She smirked when her mates frowned at the animal blood she was pouring into a glass. "It's not that bad."

Caius scoffed, shaking his head. Marcus sighed, shaking his head as he couldn't imagine living off animal blood. Aro was leaning against the island as he watched her down the glass. "Are you going to follow your diet when you move to Volterra?" If not, he needed to set up ways to bring in animals and blood for their queen. He may send the lower guard to get them whenever Hekate needed to feed. He was sure it was more often since she was still a newborn.

Jasper and Alice paused their game at that, looking up. They were curious as to what Hekate would do. They knew the Volturi didn't like their diet, especially when Carlisle stayed with them. They constantly tried to get him to switch to the natural diet. They didn't care if Hekate wanted to switch but she seemed like she wanted to follow the vegetarian diet.

Hekate paused from pouring a second glass of blood, watching the liquid settling in the glass. "I never thought about switching…" She frowned as she thought about all those humans that lost their lives for the Volturi to feed. She didn't hold it against the Volturi or her family who did. She just never felt the urge to kill a human just to feed, she could kill an animal and survive off it. Sure, the burning in her throat was a constant, but it was better than the pain from before. Though, she didn't know how she'd react if she had human blood. She might not be able to regain control for a while. She didn't want that.

Hekate raised her eyebrows when her mood suddenly changed, making her happy and relaxed. She smiled, knowing it was her father. "I'm okay, dad." She downed the second glass of blood, turning to her mates. "I want to stay a vegetarian, for now… I might change my mind someday but for now..."

Caius shook his head, crossing his arms and frowning at her. "Alright… Now, since you're feeling better, what the fuck were you thinking?" Caius motioned towards the desert-like surroundings around them, "You could have been killed because you ran off like a silly child!"

Hekate tried to stay calm, knowing she was an idiot. She caused all this, and it was her fault. Still, she didn't like being yelled at or compared to a child! Especially not by one of her mates. She was almost an adult in human years. "I am not a child, Caius."

Caius scoffed again, "You may not be physically, but you sure acted like one yesterday. If you weren't so gifted, you could have been seriously hurt or killed before your family got to you!"

Marcus placed his hand on Caius' shoulder, "We are all upset but you must calm down, Caius." He turned to Hekate while Caius breathed deeply, trying to reign in his anger. "What made you run away like that?"

Hekate glared at Caius, watching him glare back at her. She huffed as she looked at her feet, kicking them against the wood floor. "When Alice answered Edward's call, he asked if I finally ran off to you three, calling you all monsters… He then blamed Rosalie and I for what happened to him in Volterra." Hekate bared her teeth at the floor, clenching her fists. "I was so mad, I just had to leave the house. I couldn't listen to his voice any longer. I kept running, trying to work through my anger…"

Aro reached forward, taking her hands in his to squeeze them reassuringly. "Do you realize how reckless that was, Hekate?"

Hekate sighed, nodding her head. She knew Jasper was slowly calming her down, feeling the negative emotions slowly fading away. "I do… I feel horrible about making everyone worry and make such a fuss over this."

Caius had been calm until that, "Fuss?" He growled lowly at that, "A fuss? We thought you were going to be killed! Then when we learned you were alive, Alice told us how badly you felt. We were terrified the entire plane ride because we couldn't be there for you! Don't try to downplay this!"

Hekate growled back at him, she wasn't going to stand there and take this from her own mate. She pulled her hands back from Aro, not wanting to make him read her mind right now. She felt bad, apologized and realized what she did was wrong. She knew how badly she made everyone worry, she wasn't going to do it again. Why did he keep yelling at her? "I get it, Caius!"

Caius stepped forward, seething down at her. "Do you really? You are a reckless, poorly trained, child and you nearly got killed today! We just found you and we're not about to lose you again! I have half a mind to lock you in the castle until you can handle yourself."

Hekate glared up at him, not letting him intimidate her with the height difference. "I will not be treated like a damsel in distressed, locked in some tower!" Hekate went to walk past him, heading towards the door. That was until Caius grabbed her arm, "Caius, let go."

Caius frowned down at her, "We're not done talking, Hekate." He deeply regretted his words now, but they were out there. He would apologize after they both calmed down, but she couldn't go run off again!

Hekate ripped her arm free from his grip, moving to the door before they could stop her. "Oh, I'm done talking!" She growled at him, "If this is what happens when we argue, why would I be with you? I may love you more than anything but that doesn't mean I'm going to take this shit from you!" She glanced at Aro and Marcus, noticing how they were glaring at Caius. "I'm not running away again, so don't freak out like him. I'm going to the pool house, to be alone!" She then ran to the second home, locking the doors behind her.

It was silent in the room for a few seconds, everyone letting her words sink in.

Caius then leaned against the counter, frowning at the ground. "That was the first time she told me she loves me…"

Jasper could feel the pure rage building in Alice's system, trying to hold her down. Hekate wouldn't normally be this mad, but she was a newborn. She was stressed, tired and not feeling well still. Her control wasn't the same as it usually was. It didn't help that Caius' rage, which usually didn't bother her, scared her when directed at her.

Alice got up, ignoring Jasper's whisper for her to stop. She was fed up with this. "It's going to be the last unless you don't stop being an asshole."

Caius glanced up at her, feeling pissed that she was speaking like that to him. She may be his mate's mother, but he was her king! "Excuse me?"

Alice ignored his power trip, used to men using their height to try to intimidate her. It never worked. "You heard me, Caius. My daughter has dealt with too many abusive men in her life to deal with your anger issues! If you ever yell at her like that again, my husband and I will become your worst nightmares. You may not have noticed but she was afraid of you when you yelled at her, let that sink in." She then turned to Aro and Marcus, a tight smile on her angelic face. "Now, if the testosterone fest can settle down, let's discuss Maria."

Caius's lips were pressed firmly together, his brows furrowed. He was thinking about what Alice said, replaying the argument over in his mind. He then realized he had been scaring Hekate… He scared his mate and made her run away… She even told him she wouldn't be with him if he acted like that… He hadn't had a need to keep himself in check before, not like this… He really had to do better, for himself and Hekate. She deserved much better than how he treated her…

Caius sighed before sitting at the table, rubbing his temples. "That woman is to be killed."

Marcus rubbed Caius' shoulder. "Of course she is, by our own hands." He noticed the way Alice and Jasper relaxed at that. He felt bad for the coven but glad they would be removing a monster from their past, as well as a monster in Hekate's present.

Aro nodded, trying to calm down from what just happened. He really should have stepped in to stop Caius, but Caius had an issue with people taking away his power and authority. He didn't have an ability like he and Marcus did, so he tried to overcompensate with his anger and tactical skills. Him trying to calm Caius down could have made everything worse, he was surprised Alice didn't piss him off more when she scolded him.

Aro then turned to Alice, Jasper, Peter and Charlotte, placing his joined hands on the table. "Demetri, Alec and Jane went to retrieve Maria. They will be bringing her back here. We will then kill her for her crimes."

{X}

Hekate stayed locked up in the pool house for an hour, taking the time to calm down. She spent the time laying in a hammock, thinking about what happened. She really did feel terrible about what happened, she was never going to do that again… She was a little rough on Caius as well, but she needed to get her point across. She thought she got that, judging how he froze before she left.

Hekate sighed as she got out of the hammock, slowly walking to the door. She was about to open them when she smelled more vampires arrive. Hekate opened the doors, gasping at what she saw.

Demetri and Jane were holding Maria down on the ground, the woman on her knees. Alec was standing behind her, using his ability to knock out all her senses. The three guards had been glaring at the woman, until Hekate walked out. They glanced at her, relieved to see her moving around and looking better.

Felix was standing beside the door to the pool house, bowing his head to her when she turned to him. He had been on guard duty since Maria was in the vicinity.

"That's where you all ran off to…"

Aro appeared by her side, "I ordered them to capture this woman after they checked on you. We have no need for a trial. I have seen and heard enough to convict this woman."

Marcus held Hekate's hand while Aro moved forward to read Maria's memories, wanting her side even if he really despised this woman. He needed to know if anyone else in her coven or elsewhere would be going after Hekate. "She will be killed, very soon."

Caius took Jane's position over for her, forcing the woman further to the ground. He was growling lowly at her; his eyes pitch black with pure rage. "Don't fight us, or we will prolong your death for days." He waved away Felix who was about to head to him.

Hekate looked up at Marcus, squeezing his hand. "Good…" She then looked over to see her coven standing by the back entrance, watching Maria with guarded expressions. Maria looked smug but was still slightly behind Peter. Jasper was standing rigidly, his hands behind his back and clasped together. Alice was rubbing his arm, leaning against him to comfort him.

Maria groaned as Caius and Demetri pulled her arms back further, popping them out of their sockets. She was still trying to keep her composure, though she was terrified. She was being held down by a member of the elite guard and a King of the Volturi. She was screwed, and she knew it. Aro had seen her plan to kill Hekate and take Jasper for herself. Though…

Jasper was Hekate's father now, maybe she could convince Jasper to plead for her life to his daughter.

"Jasper, please… I loved you once and I know you loved me too. What we had meant something so special. Please, love, don't let them kill me. I'll leave you alone, but do you really want to see me die?"

Maria gasped when she felt someone slap her so hard, the skin on her face cracked violently. She could tell bones in her face were broken, and there would be internal trauma until it healed.

Hekate was seething as she kneeled in front of Maria, her eyes glaring into Maria's glazed maroon eyes. "Don't you dare speak to him, you pathetic woman. You never loved him. You used him! He owes you nothing! He should kill you just for what you did to him." She then stood up, looking at Caius. She smiled tightly, still trying to reign in her anger. "I believe though, that you three want the honors?"

Alice leaned up, whispering to Jasper. "That's our girl."

Felix glanced at Demetri, a huge grin on his face. Yes, Hekate would definitely make a good Queen when she was ready. Demetri grinned at Hekate, proud of her. He noticed the twins giving her a similar look.

Caius nodded at his mate, relieved she seemed to forgive him. "Yes." He shoved Maria's knees into the ground, watching as his brothers got ready.

Marcus took Demetri's position over for him, also shoving Maria into the ground. "It would be my honor to dispose of this worthless creature."

Aro stepped up, kissing Hekate's cheek as he passed her. He stood in front of Maria, raising his hand to Alec to stop. He wickedly smiled down at the woman as she regained her sight. "Maria. I hereby sentence you to death for plotting the murder of the Queen of the Volturi."

Hekate watched with twisted fascination as her mates killed Maria in front of her. Caius pulled against Marcus with such strength that Maria's body was ripped in half. Aro had twisted her head off, holding it up by her hair now. It was a gruesome sight but sounded just as bad, the diamond like skin screeching as it was torn, broken and ripped apart viciously. Silver, viscous liquid was seeping from Maria's body and head, dripping onto the ground below.

Hekate realized just how silent everyone had been until after it was over. The only sound to be heard was the fire crackling in the pit behind her. Jane and Alec were making it burn hotter, preparing it for Maria's corpse.

Alice turned to Jasper, seeing how upset he looked. He wasn't sad or wished Maria wasn't dead, but it was a rough ending to a very traumatic person in his life. "Honey, we're going to go hunting. If you need us back, just text or call. Or send Demetri."

Demetri chuckled, nodding at the mother of the queen. "Of course."

Hekate smiled at her father, letting him know she was okay. He nodded slowly before leaving with his wife. Hekate nodded at her aunt and uncle too, letting them know they could leave as well. They looked just as uneasy about what happened.

"You can go inside if you don't want to watch her burn, dear." Marcus was approaching her now, looking worried for her.

Hekate watched as Caius aggressively threw the two halves of Maria's body onto the fire. She jumped slightly at how loud and fast her body caught on fire. She knew venom was highly flammable but still… It was another thing to witness it. She then turned to her mate, ignoring as Aro tossed the head in the pile. "I'm fine, I'm basically a grim reaper myself. Death doesn't bother me much anymore…"

Marcus gently pulled her close, kissing her forehead. "As long as you are comfortable, dear. We have no problems with you witnessing these things… You will have to deal with this when you begin hearing cases with us."

Hekate would have flushed if she could, realizing he meant when she stepped up as her role as Queen of the Volturi. She would have to sit on her throne with them, hearing cases of vampires who broke the laws. She would have to order executions like Maria's. It didn't scare her but made her pause to think of the heavy title of Queen. "I know…"

Demetri noticed the faraway look in her eyes, glancing at his king. "Maybe Hekate would like some more rest? We can ensure the body is destroyed."

Jane smirked as she added more kindling to the fire, watching as the head was almost a skull now. "Absolutely." She was taking more pleasure in this kill than usual; this woman had attempted to kill her beloved queen. She deserved this.

Alec nodded, flashing to the wood pile to get more supplies for his sister. "Go, rest."

Caius sighed, not having an excuse to avoid talking to his mate. She seemed to be calmer around him but that could have been temporary. If he could have made sure the body burnt, that would give him more time to think of what to say.

Aro grabbed Marcus' arm, "Come brother, let's check in with the coven."

Marcus noticed Hekate slowly making her way to Caius, nodding his head. He glanced down at Aro, talking as they headed to the living room. "Has she forgiven him?"

Aro sighed as he sat down on the couch, "I don't know, I didn't read her mind." He glanced out the windows to see the two standing close, talking calmly. "Though I do believe she has. It's quite hard to stay mad at your mate. Especially when neither of them meant the harsh words they said."

{X}

Hekate sighed as she looked up at Caius, "Caius, I-"

"Hekate, I-"

Caius laughed softly, a real smile gracing his lips and making him seem angelic instead of his usual pensiveness. "You first, love."

Hekate laughed as well, reaching forward and holding his hand. She squeezed it gently while she looked into his beautiful eyes. "I'm sorry I let my anger get the best of me, Caius… I love you so much."

Caius brought their hands up, kissing the back of hers. "I'm sorry I said such horrible things. I would never lock you up. You're not childish, just lacking experience. You're young and I forget this sometimes. I was just so worried, and I expressed it the one way I'm used to, through anger and yelling. I'm working on that, for you."

Hekate leaned up, kissing him so he would be quiet. She knew all of this and she forgave him after she hid in the pool room. "It's alright, Caius."

Caius let go of her hand to cup her cheek, kissing her back gently. He pulled back after a minute, smiling down at her. His eyes looked especially bright as he watched her. "I love you too, Hekate."

Hekate hugged him tightly, her head fitting just underneath his chin. "Well, they always said moving week was the most stressful week ever."

Caius chuckled, shaking his head as he squeezed her gently. "We are the Royal family, leave it to us to welcome you with an execution."

Hekate laughed loudly, "That sounds crazy, Caius."

Caius smirked down at her, "Welcome to your new crazy life."

Hekate slowly calmed down, smiling up at him. "I wouldn't want any other life, Caius."

{X}

Hekate looked up at the jet waiting on the Volturi members, sighing. She turned to her mother, who was sitting on her left side. Jasper was on her right side. She already had a tearful goodbye with Peter and Charlotte before they left the day before. Now it was time for her to say goodbye to her parents and leave with her mates.

Hekate looked out the window to see Jane and Alec standing at the bottom of the jet stairs, waiting on her. She assumed Demetri, Felix and her mates were inside the jet already. She couldn't see them. She looked down at her lap, feeling so nervous she felt her insides twisting.

Jasper and Alice held her hand at the same time, making her smile. "I love you guys. Promise to give Edward hell for me since I can't?"

Alice grinned up at her, "Of course, dear." She kissed her cheek before hugging her. "I love you, Hekate. You're going to be fine. You're a grown woman and are more than ready."

Jasper kissed the back of her hand, squeezing it gently. "You're an amazing woman, Hekate. You're going to be an amazing queen and member of the Volturi. The vampire community is going to be in awe and terrified of you."

Hekate laughed, shaking her head. She didn't quite see herself like that yet, but she loved the compliment. "Thank you, dad."

Alice rubbed Hekate's knee before getting out of the car. Even though it was cloudy in Texas that day, it was sunny in Italy, or would be when they landed. It was a long flight there. "Let's get you home, shall we?"

Hekate slid out after her mom, smoothing down her dress. Her mother went a little crazy with her outfit since she would arrive in Volterra as their future queen now. The last time she was there no one knew for certain what was going on. That's why she was dressed like this now. Though, Hekate thought it was a bit much. She had on a long-sleeved, black dress. It hugged her torso while flaring out from the hips. She had on sheer tights underneath that let a little bit of her tattoos show. She had on black wedges that added a little to her height. She had a black hat with her to wear when she landed, to block the sun. Her hair was down, lying flat on her back. She had on smokey eyeshadow, eyeliner and red lipstick. She looked like a beautiful witch but also dangerous.

Alice and Jasper were dressed much tamer in comparison, much to Hekate's dismay. She liked dressing up but at certain times. At the moment she'd rather be in sweats for such a long flight.

Jane was wearing her customary black Volturi cloak, as was Alec. Jane's brown hair was pulled back into a braid, hanging over her shoulder. She was smiling brightly at Hekate, as was Alec. Jane and Alec bowed their heads to the queen, "Your majesty."

Hekate smiled down at them, shaking her head. She could argue with them about calling her Hekate, but they would do it on their own in time. "Alec, Jane." She then turned to her parents, taking in a deep breath. "I'll see you soon. I love you."

Jasper hugged her first, sighing as he squeezed her gently. "If you ever need anything, at all, call me. I will kick anyone's ass or be there if you need help controlling yourself.

Hekate breathed in his scent while she hugged him. "You can always call me if somehow that human gets you all in trouble again." She leaned back and smiled up at him. "I'll save everyone but Edward and Bella."

"We'd just kill them."

"Shush, Caius, she's having a moment with her parents."

"I'm not deaf, Aro."

"Stop bickering like children."

Hekate sighed, shaking her head while smiling at her mates. She then hugged her mother when she stepped up, kissing her cheek. "I meant it. If you need anything, just call me. Or if you need to get away from her, we can go shopping in Italy."

Alice's eyes twinkled at the mention of a shopping trip. "Oh, we will." She kissed her daughter's cheek, smiling up at her. "I love you and will talk to you soon." She then waved, heading inside to the airport with Jasper.

Hekate watched them leave before turning and climbing up the stairs to the plane. She smiled as Alec and Jane got in behind her, sitting down at a table in the middle of the plane. There was a board game waiting to be set up when they took off. Felix and Demetri were in the front, flying the plane. Hekate could hear pages flipping in the back of the plane, heading down the aisle.

The jet was decorated with black leather, dark wood and gold. Everything matched the style of the Volturi to a t. The bedroom was even more extravagant. There was a queen-sized bed nestled against one wall. It had black silk sheets and very soft black blankets. The pillows were black and gold, matching the scheme. There were two recliners in the bedroom as well. Aro was in one of them, going over a folder in his hands. Marcus was in the other, reading a book. It was from this century it seemed, which was very modern for his literature taste. However, it was a book Hekate remembered recommending to him. Caius was laying on the bed, his sketch book out and he was flipping through it.

Hekate leaned down, her hair brushing against his cheek as she did. "That can't be me. She's too beautiful."

Caius looked up at her, a big smile forming on his lips. "Of course it is. I capture the truth in my work. The truth is, you are the most beautiful woman to ever grace the Earth."

Hekate would have been blushing if she could. Instead, she hid her face behind her hair. "Guys."

Caius held her hand, kissing it as he looked up at her. "I mean it, Hekate. You are so gorgeous."

Aro pouted at Caius taking all her attention, reaching out and holding her hand. He gently tugged, pulling Hekate onto his lap. He smiled up at her happily, taking her hat from her and laying it on the table in front of him. "Are you ready, cara mia?"

Hekate took his hand, kissing the palm before holding his hand. She pressed her palm flat against his, letting him read her. She was ready, a little nervous but she was very excited to be staying with them permanently now. She missed them and was ecstatic she didn't have to live apart from them. "I am, Aro."

Aro closed his eyes as he enjoyed hearing everything she's been thinking since the few days before. He then kissed the back of her hand, smiling up at her. "Let's take off then."

"Yes, master."

Hekate smiled as she heard Demetri call back to them. She kissed Aro's cheek before moving and sitting in Marcus' lap. "I see you're reading the book I mentioned."

Marcus laid the book on the table, using a piece of silk with the Volturi crest as a bookmark. He then wrapped his arms around her, smiling down at her. "Of course. I share books with you. I trust your judgement, even if they are more modern than I usually like."

Hekate leaned into her mate as the plane began heading to the runway, preparing to takeoff. She smiled when Marcus subtly tightened his grip on her, keeping her firmly planted on his lap to keep her safe. "I could sit in a seat and buckle in if you're worried."

Aro laughed with Caius at that, noticing how Marcus rolled his eyes at them. "Please, Marcus, safety first."

Marcus just sighed, nuzzling Hekate as the jet took off, "My arms are much safer than an inferior seatbelt."

Hekate ignored the little argument they got into, looking out the window as they left Texas soil. She smiled softly at the fact, she was going home to Volterra with her mates. She glanced at all three of them, her smile growing bigger. She really loved them all so much. She couldn't believe she got this lucky. Sure, her life had its nightmarish parts, but this made up for it.

Aro, Caius and Marcus were her angels. Angels wasn't the first term someone would use to describe the Volturi Kings, but to Hekate they were. They loved her so completely that it filled a missing gap in her heart. They made her so happy, it kept the depression at bay. They helped her come to grips with using and harnessing her ability. Hell, she was even a fucking Queen! What little girl didn't dream of being a princess or queen one day?

Well, Queen Hekate Whitlock Volturi was on her way to her real home in Volterra, Italy. She was joining her kings' sides to rule for eternity with them. That was the real fairy tale ending.


	19. Chapter 19

_This chapter fought me tooth and nail to be written, I am so sorry. It's shorter than most of my chapters but it wanted to end at eight pages. It has a nice little ending and I didn't want to push it._

* * *

 ** _CrystalVixen93, Animexchick, Skywroe, Marlastiano, Angel897, DarkAngel2581, NicholasFlamelFan, AnonAnon, Anotherwriterblock_** _: Thank you guys for reviewing! It means so much!_

 _ **AnonAnon** : I cried when I read your review. I am so glad you gave QotCr a chance and loved it! I hope you continue to love her as I expand upon her character. _

_**SkyWroe** : I wish I could have just killed Edward and Bella when the idiot attacked the queen. Sadly, I need them for plot. In our minds we can imagine the kings slaughtering Edward while Hekate kills Bella. _

* * *

Hekate was only half-listening to her mates and the guards talking around her. Aro was talking to Demetri and Felix about the training sessions they were going to put Hekate through. He didn't want them to hurt her but didn't want them to baby her. Caius was listening carefully, he wasn't going to let any of the Volturi guards hurt his mate, he'd sooner take over her training himself with his brothers.

Marcus was the one silently watching Hekate, noticing that the closer they got to the elevator, the more anxious his mate seemed. She had stared off relaxed, smiling and talking to them. Now she was silent, tense and staring at nothing while she lost in her thoughts.

Jane and Alec were behind Marcus and couldn't see Hekate's expression but could tell by her body language, she was nervous.

Hekate was focused on the hairs on the back of her neck standing up, feeling like she was getting goosebumps on her arms and legs. She hadn't seen any of the ghosts yet, but she knew they were there, waiting on her. Aro never mentioned the ghosts or if they had tried to do anything about them. She wasn't sure the Volturi quite knew how to deal with them. None of them had even ever seen a ghost before, much less the tons haunting their castle. Hekate was never more glad that her father wasn't with her. The only way her new coven could see her fear was if it showed on her face. She seriously hoped it wasn't.

"Hekate?"

Hekate focused on the world around her, seeing her mates waiting on her by the elevator. She sighed softly, slowly walking to them. "Sorry, I'm in my own little world."

Marcus gently touched her hand, "You don't need to be afraid, Hekate."

Caius let his tough exterior fade a little, smiling down at her. "We brought in a woman who took care of the ghosts for you, love."

Hekate sighed as she rested her head on Marcus' chest, relaxing. "Really?"

Aro rubbed her back while Marcus kissed the top of her head. "Of course, cara mia. I don't want to ever put you through what you felt when you arrived last time."

Caius turned to the others, "Go ahead downstairs and find that woman." Demetri, Felix, Alec and Jane all nodded, taking the elevator to the lobby.

Hekate smiled at the three of them when she moved back from Marcus. "Thank you, it means so much to me." She then laughed when all three of her mates hugged her at once. "I love you all."

Aro kissed her cheek, "As I love you, cara mia."

Marcus gently squeezed her, kissing her temple. "I love you as well, my dear."

Caius kissed her forehead, "I love you too, my love."

{X}

Amelia Allan was a young witch who Demetri had run into before in his travels. He had hunted a rogue vampire that Amelia had unfortunately crossed paths with. She unfortunately was in the Volturi's crosshairs for being a mystical being who can kill vampires. They never harmed her, but she still received 'check-in' visits from Demetri and sometimes Felix tagged along.

A few days ago, Demetri tracked her down, bringing her here. She didn't exactly know where she was, they kept their home a secret. She understood the need for secrecy, especially when the blond king threatened to kill her slowly should she make any misstep during here stay in the castle. After that, the kings had sat her down explaining the situation to her. Someone very important to them was able to see all the ghosts haunting the castle, causing her to have an anxiety attack. They needed her to remove the ghosts before she arrived.

Amelia had saw them as soon as she arrived, but they pitied her and didn't attack her. They saw she was human and could see them, wanting her help. They spoke of the woman the kings mentioned, how she was a vampire like them. Amelia was able to get the weaker and calmer ghosts to cross over easily. The stronger, more angry ghosts were harder. It took her three days to get them to cross over, relying on her magic and her prayers to her goddess. Finally, the castle was free of ghosts.

Amelia had to, reluctantly, teach the human secretary how to do blessings and smudge the throne room after each feeding. This would most likely prevent anymore spirits from sticking around and haunting the castle. Valentina, the secretary, was a very annoying woman and it killed Amelia to have to work with her.

Amelia looked to the side, nervously fidgeting as the four guard members watched her like hawks. She gulped when she heard the elevator ding again, meaning the kings and the special guest were arriving.

The doors opened to reveal the three kings on all sides of a woman. She was just shorter than Caius, who was the shortest king. Caius was on her right side while Aro was on her left. Marcus was the tallest, standing behind her. They all had on their black robes, their black suits showing underneath. Their Volturi crest necklaces were resting on their sternums, making them even more intimidating.

The woman was absolutely stunning, like all the vampires but she was even more beautiful. She was in a knee-length, black dress that flared at the hips. She had another Volturi crest over her sternum, like the King's but more feminine. Amelia could see the tattoos on her thighs that were visible through her black tights. Her eyes were an unusual shade, even for a newborn which she suspected she was. The outer rings of her eyes were a warm orange, with hints of yellow. The inside was a bright red, from the blood in her tissues.

She looked like an angel, but also one that could kill you in a heartbeat. Amelia felt awed by her but intimidated, more so than of most vampires. There was something about her that made you nervous, afraid of her.

Amelia gulped again when the woman's gaze focused solely on her, the woman moving forward to her. The kings zeroed in on her as well, still flanking the woman. "Uh… He.. Hello."

The woman smiled at her, showing off her pearly white teeth that were perfectly straight. Amelia was sure the woman meant to be nice but that grin only made her more nervous. "Hello. I'm Hekate Whitlock. What's your name?"

Amelia felt her mouth form a frown, tilting her head at the woman. Her name just happened to be Hekate? She could feel the same type of energy from this Hekate that she did from her goddess, Hecate. Amelia then smiled nervously at the woman, "I'm Amelia Allan, a follower of the goddess Hecate."

Hekate raised her eyebrows in surprise, looking to the triple moon symbol on Amelia's bag. "Well this must be awkward then."

Amelia smiled slightly in response to the women's amusement. She understood now why she felt so nervous and strange around this woman. She could tell without asking the woman. She felt the same energy and magic from this woman as she felt from Hecate. Hekate's magic signature was almost identical but there was one distinct that bothered Amelia. Hekate's signature was almost entirely focused on death. She could just smell it on her, a sickly-sweet smell of dying flowers.

"A little, I must admit. It's not every day you meet a vampiress who has the powers of a goddess." Amelia flinched when the kings all glared at her, even the guards tensed up, moving closer to her.

That was until Hekate held up her hand, stopping everyone. She tilted her head as she watched Amelia, "How did you know?"

Amelia rubbed her wrist nervously, "Your magic, your power is very similar to hers. I can feel it." She cleared her throat, "I can see now why clearing the ghosts out of the castle would be important. You can see and feel them, yes?"

Hekate grimaced at that, remembering how she felt when she arrived last in Volterra. She could feel their anger, their fear. She heard each and every scream, every whisper in her ears. Their white eyes were staring into her very soul, their faces twisting into something haunting. It was terrifying.

Amelia didn't need verbal confirmation, able to see it in Hekate's expression and eyes. "Don't worry, they're all gone." She smiled softly, seeing the woman relaxing again. "Valentine knows how to perform cleaning rituals to prevent more ghosts from attaching themselves here. If you do have issues, don't hesitate to call me. I am a servant of the goddess Hecate, after all. She's had to give you her blessing before you were born." Amelia handed Hekate a card with her number and name on it. "Demetri knows where I live anyways."

Demetri winked at Amelia, causing the young witch to blush and look away shyly. "Only a flight away, sugar."

Hekate cracked a genuine smile at their banter, shaking her head. "Thank you, Amelia." She then turned to the kings, fixing them with a stern look. "She's free to go now? And paid?"

Aro was stuttering at the look Hekate was giving him while Caius just looked amused. Marcus was the one who answered, chuckling at his brothers. "Yes. Aro has already paid her and bought her return ticket to England." He turned to the witch, nodding softly. "Thank you, Ms. Allan."

Amelia bowed her head to them, smiling nervously before following Demetri out of the castle. "You're welcome." She looked back again to see Hekate laughing as Aro spun her around in his arms. She smiled softly, looking up at Demetri. "The seem happy together."

Demetri smiled as he pushed the button to go to the tunnel leading out of the city. "They are, they love each other very much. It's nice to see." He then glanced down at the witch, grinning at her. "The queen likes you."

Amelia gasped loudly, "The queen? I was joking around with the queen?" Demetri laughed loudly at the panicked expression on the human's face.

{X}

Hekate watched as Amelia followed Demetri into the elevator, until Aro picked her up and spun her around. She laughed as she looked down at him, "What's this about?"

Aro just smiled up at her happily, "You're home, cara mia, safe and sound."

Hekate smiled as she kissed him softly. "I'm home."

Marcus shook his head, smiling softly. "Come on, Aro. Let's show her to her rooms."

Hekate sighed as Caius placed his hand on the small of her back, gently nudging her forward. "I really hope you guys didn't go all out."

Caius chuckled loudly, "You're going to be very disappointed then. Aro loves being dramatic and spoiling people."

Aro rolled his eyes at his brother, "You can be quite dramatic as well, brother." He then turned to Hekate, smiling brightly. "However, we did go 'all out' for your new rooms. You will be staying with us, forever, and you are our queen. You deserve nothing but the best."

Hekate had to look away because all her mates were looking at her with so much love in their eyes, it made her uneasy. Not because she didn't love them, she loved them so much it hurt. She just didn't understand how they loved her sometimes. They were amazing, and she was just, her. A scared, run away girl from New York.

Marcus noticed the way Hekate seemed to withdraw a bit from that. He gently touched her elbow, leading her down the last royal wing, smiling at his brothers. "Let's let our dear queen investigate her new quarters herself." He kissed her head, whispering so only he and Hekate could hear. "We will be in the throne room when you are ready, my dear."

Hekate smiled up at him, her eyes a little watery with venom tears. "Thank you, Marcus." She tilted her head up when Aro and Caius kissed her cheeks at the same time. "I'm sure I'll love them all, thank you."

Aro smiled brightly at her, "You are more than welcome, cara mia." Caius gently touched her hand, smiling down at her softly as he passed by her. The three kings then disappeared, heading to the throne room to have a meeting with the entire Volturi coven, minus the future queen.

{X}

Hekate sighed as she stared at the multiple doors in her wing. There were six rooms in this wing when she only needed one. She shook her head softly, she knew she had to get used to this kind of treatment now. She was going to be the queen of the Volturi, the ruling coven of the vampire world. Aro, as well as her other two mates surely, would be spoiling her. She got a taste of it from the Cullens, especially her parents. This was on an entirely different level.

Hekate could only gape when she pushed open the heavy wooden doors that revealed her master suite. The room was massive, with different areas in it. The walls were of the same stone common in the castle, which she loved. The floor was a beautiful wood with rugs spread out. There was a little side room that was a study and doubled as a small library. The study was attached to the sitting area, where beautiful black and gold couches stood around a coffee table and facing a flat screen T.V. Her bed, something so luxurious for something she no longer needed, was in the middle of the massive room. It was twice as big as a king-sized bed. She was sure all four of them would be able to lay comfortably on it.

The bed frame and headboard had gold outlining the black wood. The sheets were black silk, matching the gold and black pattern on the comforter, blankets and the tons of pillows. The four posts around the bed held more black silk, tied back for the moment to show off the massive bed.

Beyond the bed were two more doors, open for the moment. One led to a massive walk-in closet while the other was her bathroom. She saved the closest for last, a little afraid of how far Aro went. Her bathroom had the same stone walls she loved for most of the room. The wall in her huge walk in shower was black marble with white highlights. The same marbled was wrapped around her huge tub, as well as being the countertop in the bathroom. The cabinets were painted white with gold fixtures, matching the mirror and the lighting fixtures in the room.

Hekate took a moment to herself, leaning against the wall while she looked at herself in the wall-length mirror by the counter. She felt so strange in this room, surrounded by all this luxury, with a new coven who was the most powerful in the world. Hekate groaned as she moved closer to the mirror, touching her porcelain face.

The person in the mirror was so different than the Hekate she was used to. Her skin was always pale as a human, but now it was even paler and perfect. Her freckles, slight scars and imperfections were gone. Her hair was more luxurious now, fuller and had more body. Her eyes were no longer warm chocolate, they were the color of the liquid she lived on now but slowly turning to an amber.

How was she here? She didn't deserve this. She didn't deserve any of this!

Hekate slumped to the floor, venom tears slipping from her eyes. She pressed the heels of her palms against her eyes, whimpering softly.

Mariana deserved this. She was an angel and her best friend. She didn't deserve to be shot in the head for trying to save her brother. Martin died to save her, which was meaningless in the scheme of things. She wasn't going to be saving anyone. All she did was kill people. That's what her powers were all about, death.

How could someone whose entire being revolved around death be worthy of all of this? The rest of the Cullens somehow loved her still. Jasper and Alice were amazing friends and parents to her, they even saved her twice. They revived her frail human body and used their weak self-restraint to turn her.

The kings loved her, more than anything else in the world. She could see it in their eyes, hear it in the way they spoke to and about her. She could feel it in their touches, their kisses. They loved her so much, just as much as she loved them. But… they truly deserved someone better.

Hekate groaned as she curled up more, tucking her knees against her chest and resting her forehead on them. She let her tears flow down her cheeks, feeling the familiar darkness creeping back into her mind.

She quickly stood up, leaning over the sink as she stared into the mirror. She glared at her reflection, gripping the countertop tightly. She was not giving in to this right now. She splashed some water on her face, drying her face with a towel on the counter. She sighed deeply when she looked up again, noticing how weary she looked.

Why did life have to keep fucking with her? She loved her new life, she didn't regret it. It was those horrible, twisted thoughts saying that. She was a good person and deserved to enjoy her life with her mates. She had been through enough shit, she wasn't going to let herself spiral again. She turned and walked into the room only to open the doors to her closet. The lights came on from the movement, illuminating the huge room.

"Holy shit."

Hekate could have died again at the sight. The floor was a beautiful dark wood. The walls weren't visible because the walls were covered in closets with glass doors. The wood detailing on the doors were a dark gray. The wood matched the cabinets on the island in the middle of the room. The island had lots of little drawers with gold knobs. The top of the island was made from gray and black marble. There were two giant mirrors on either end of the room. One was behind a vanity, full of makeup, perfume and other things. Hekate looked around the room, seeing all the closets were full of beautiful clothes. One whole section of the wall was full of stunning gowns and cloaks. Alice would definitely die when she sees this in a vision or in person.

"Hekate?"

Demetri knocked as he walked into the room, smiling at the expression on the queen's face. "Ah, yes. Athenadora, Sulpicia and Aro went a little overboard with your new wardrobe. They thought of everything, and I mean everything." He moved over to a corner of the room, pulling open the doors to reveal pitch black cloaks. Her royal cloak of the Volturi. He pulled out one, holding it out to her with a smile. "Aro asked that you wear this one and accompany me to the throne room."

Hekate looked down as Demetri wrapped the cloak around her. She clasped the golden clasp together herself, running her fingers down the smooth fabric. She looked up at Demetri, frowning softly. "Wait. They're going to introduce me to everyone and be very dramatic, aren't they?"

Demetri smirked as he held out his arm for her, "Of course. You are mated to the most dramatic men in existence."

Hekate sighed as she let Demetri escort her to the throne room. "That's true."

{X}

Aro, Caius and Marcus were standing in front of their thrones, facing the Volturi coven. Alec, Jane and Felix were standing to the edges of the kings, taking their place as the high guard. Renata, Heidi, Chelsea and her mate Afton were on the outer group of the coven. The rest of the guard and lower ranked members were scattered behind them. They were mumbling quietly about what this was about, until they were silenced by the glares the terror twins gave them.

Only the higher ranked guards and the secretary knew of the queen being in the castle. The lower guard had heard rumors from when Edward tried to kill himself, supposedly the kings had found their mate among the Cullen brood. They hadn't heard anything from the mates or the upper guard, however. They knew it had to be true when the kings began disappearing from the castle, especially when they all left together a couple of days ago.

Aro looked at his brothers, wondering who wanted to go first. He nodded when Marcus shook his head, Caius looked irritated so Aro decided to do it. He raised his hand to silence everyone, looking them over. "We have an announcement to make. Yes, we found our mate when we dealt with Edward Cullen and his mate, Bella. She is home, finally. She will be staying forever with us."

Caius narrowed his eyes as the lower guard looked surprised and excited. "You will give her us as much respect as you give us. She is your queen. None of you are to ever touch or harm her. You will only address her as majesty or highness. You will not call her by her name, unless she gives your permission." He then growled lowly, "If any of you upset her in any way, I will remove your head from your body along with whatever body part touched her."

Marcus internally laughed when he heard Hekate outside mumbling to Demetri about Caius being too drastic. He turned when Demetri opened the doors, stepping to the side. Hekate looked around the room, her eyes trailing over the lower guard's shocked expression. She then turned to the front of the room, seeing her mates standing there. She smiled softly at them, gracefully walking towards them.

Marcus took her hands, gently kissing them. He smiled down at her, seeing her love shining through them. He gently turned her to face the guard. "This is your queen, Hekate Whitlock-Volturi."

Demetri smirked as he stood beside Felix, Alec and Jane. "Long may she reign." Felix chuckled while the twins rolled their eyes at Demetri's statement.


	20. Chapter 20

_**NicholasFlamelFan, AnonAnon, Angel897, CrystalVixen93, Maia2.0, Skywroe, Zigra1825, DarkAngel2581** and **TriumviraVolturi**_ : _Thank you all so much! I loved reading all of your reviews. They always make my day._

 _Amelia is going to make multiple appearances throughout the story, don't worry! I love her too. She's a sweetheart. I do love the idea of her being with Demetri. Would you guys like her to be his mate or just a lover of his? Also, I modeled her after a younger version of Amy from Dead Files. I love that show, it's underrated._

 _Hekate is going to be battling her depression for eternity and it's going to be popping up in the story periodically. I know it's a serious struggle for people who deal with it and I wanted to convey that in the story. If I ever get something wrong about it, don't be afraid to tell me. I myself don't have depression but I'm doing my best to write it._

 _In the next chapter, you could say the Volturi are going to have a ball together. ;)_

* * *

Hekate finished braiding her hair, pinning it to the back of her head. She looked up when she heard footsteps heading down her wing, as well as Jane speaking. Jane was outside waiting to escort her to the training room. She greeted the kings as they approached Hekate's room.

"Good evening, masters."

Hekate quickly fixed her sports bra and pulled on her athletic shorts before they entered her room. The bra was black with white marble print, matching the capris. She had a band holding her bangs and hair back from her face as well. She was just pulling on the black tennis shoes when she saw Caius. He had a big scowl on his face as he waited in her room, leaning against her bedframe. "Really, Caius?"

Caius looked up at her when she exited the closet, feeling venom pooling in his mouth. He couldn't tear his eyes away from her, forgetting why he was mad seconds before. Hekate grinned when Marcus and Aro both turned to her, both having been sitting on her bed to wait for her. Their jaws dropped, loving how gorgeous she looked.

Hekate walked up to Caius, gently pressing his jaw closed as she kissed his cheek. "You promised to let me do this, Caius."

Caius groaned, keeping his hands off her because he knew he wouldn't let go. He didn't want her to go train, but he did at the same time. He was just very overprotective of her and didn't want her accidentally getting hurt. He knew Demetri wanted Alec to use his powers on her as well, in the future. He hated that but Aro and Marcus talked with him for hours about this.

Hekate needed to be trained. She had some skill thanks to Peter and Jasper but needed more training. She needed to really work with her gift, something Aro was especially excited for. Hekate's gifts were remarkable and they knew they barely touched the surface.

Marcus held out his hand for his mate, smiling softly when she appeared in his lap, holding his hand. He rubbed her back gently with his other hand, loving the way she got goosebumps from his touch. "We are allowing you to do this, we encourage it even, though we're concerned for your safety."

Aro nodded softly, facing his brother and Hekate now. "However, we trust the royal guard with your life and safety, completely. Though we will hate that you will be in any pain, we know you will be fine."

Caius smirked as he leaned against a column of the bedframe, "If not, they will sorely regret ever harming my mate."

Hekate felt both turned on and a little concerned for how dark Caius' eyes were now. She shook that off though, because she was going to be late for her first training session. "Thank you… And please, try your best to stay away. You three are very distracting and intimidating to the guard at times. I don't want them to go easy on me because you're watching us like hawks. Not to mention, distracting me."

Marcus chuckled softly while Caius rolled his eyes at Aro's smug look in his direction. "I will do my best to keep Aro and Caius away, dear." He kissed her temple, gently lifting her up. "You should be on your way. Felix may be casual about these things, but Demetri isn't."

Hekate smiled at Marcus before looking up when Aro appeared in front of her. "I'll see you in a few hours." She leaned up and kissed him softly. "Love you all." She waved at Marcus and Caius before running outside, joining Jane. Together the two women ran to the training rooms deep in the castle.

Caius narrowed his eyes at Aro when Hekate was out of ear-shot. "I'm still not entirely happy about this."

Marcus sighed softly, getting up and heading to the throne room, knowing his brothers would follow. "Yes, we know, brother."

Aro chuckled while Caius trailed Marcus, complaining about why it had to be Felix that was her sparring partner. They had strong guards who would be good matches beside the monstrous Felix. Marcus was ignoring Caius' rant, knowing Hekate and Felix were friends. She would relax more if it was him and not Santiago.

{X}

Demetri hummed when he saw Hekate finally walk in the room behind Jane. He looked at his watch, speaking to the queen as he did. "You're three minutes late."

Hekate sighed as she moved to stand across from Demetri and Felix. "I'm sorry, Demetri. Caius wa-"

"Yes, I'm sure. You're still late, however." He was standing tall and straight, the common smile on his face gone. His expression was serious, as was his body language. Felix didn't say anything but stood beside Demetri, watching Hekate and the others. Jane joined her brother in the back of the room, waiting until they were needed. They were the only four in the room, giving the queen privacy in her training sessions. All the lower guard were ordered to stay away by the upper guard, as well as the kings.

Demetri shook his head, "Let's get started, shall we?" He nodded when he saw Hekate nod, signaling she was ready. He motioned to his friend, "Felix will be your sparring partner while I observe your fighting. After I've seen enough, I'll start instructing you on how to improve. After a few hours of this, then we're switching to Jane and Alec. They'll be helping train your powers."

Hekate rubbed the back of her neck, nodding softly. She was a little nervous now from the way Demetri was talking. If she was a human, she would probably be comatose at the end of this session. She would still probably take a shower and lay down after this, especially if she spends a lot of time using her gifts.

Felix grinned as Demetri moved away, "Ladies first, your majesty."

Hekate huffed at the title, knowing Felix did it on purpose. She didn't like the upper guard calling her that. "You don't strike me as a gentlemanly type, Felix." She ran for him, using her increased newborn speed to her advantage. She slammed into Felix while he dug his heels into the ground. To her credit, she did push Felix all the way to the wall, Felix grunting from the force.

"Good, Hekate." Felix then grabbed her arms, pushing them down off his chest. He quickly wrapped his arms around her neck, pulling her to his chest and holding her there. "But you left yourself open."

Hekate grunted as she tried to get free, but Felix was holding her still, he was used to newborn strength after all. If she needed to breathe, she doubted she could in this position. Hekate decided to try something other than struggling to free herself. She went limp in his arms, leaning back against him. When Felix went to tighten his grip, she used the chance to duck out of his grip. She then swiped his legs out while she was crouched. She got on top of him, trying to pin him down. The trouble was, Felix was very strong and hard to keep pinned. They were wrestling on the ground for a while before Hekate got the upper hand. She had his arms pinned down with hers, pushing her body weight into his upper body while staying out of range of his legs. She was using all her strength to keep him down, the floor cracking a little underneath them as Felix struggled.

"Five minutes and fifteen seconds." Demetri stood over them, tapping his watch. "We will have to work on this. But that's very good for a start, Hekate." He helped her up, nodding at Felix. "Did the queen hurt your pride there, Felix?"

Felix scoffed as he patted the dust off his clothes, "No. I can still take her down."

Hekate narrowed her eyes at Felix while speaking to Demetri. "You're going to help me kick his ass someday, right, 'metri?"

Demetri smirked down at his queen, nodding his head while patting her back. "Of course, your majesty." He then slipped back into business mode, "Again but this time, try not to stay pinned for too long, either of you."

Jane turned to her twin, raising an eyebrow. "Aro and Caius are going to love this."

Alec snickered softly when Hekate punched Felix in the face, making him crouch from the force of it. "Definitely."

{X}

Hekate leaned against the wall, re-braiding her hair while they took a break between sessions. She had sparred with Felix for four hours, the room becoming a mess in their wake. One wall was in pieces, the rubble being shoved into a pile by the twins. The floor was cracked in places, as were the walls. Felix's clothes were torn in places and wrinkled. Hekate's clothes were dirty but un-ripped, thankfully, or the men in the room would be dead.

Felix was glad for the break, sitting against the wall while just resting his eyes. Hekate had put up a good fight against him the whole time, which he almost wasn't expecting. Her father must have trained her well while they were together. Demetri was off in the corner, talking to the twins about their approach for the next session. Still, she was sorely out of practice and made a lot of deadly mistakes. Felix has numerous chances he could have taken to kill her. Demetri always pointed them out so Hekate could learn, but they didn't hold it against her. She was young in every way possible.

Hekate looked up when she heard feet hitting against the stone hallway outside. She stood up straight when her mates walked in the room. Marcus was carrying a tray in his hand with two goblets on it, full of animal blood. Hekate had to guess it was from a bear. "I thought you agreed to stay away?"

Aro smiled sheepishly at his mate, "I know, but we heard that you were on a break for now. Caius was worrying himself to a second death and-"

Caius interrupted his brother, scoffing. "I was not." He was but he liked to keep face in front of the guard members. He picked up a glass and handed it to her, "We wanted to bring you some of your blood substitute to help."

Hekate sighed at the blood substitute part, drinking some of the blood nonetheless. Her throat had been burning for hours. "Thank you." She then smirked when the kings took in the state of the room for the first time. "Did you expect so little from me?"

Caius let out a loud laugh, turning to her. "I love you." He kissed her lovingly, though he hated the taste of animal blood on her lips.

Aro turned to Felix, a triumphant grin on his face while he held out his hand. "May I?"

Felix stood up straight for his king, bowing his head as he held out his hand. "Of course, master." He looked up when Aro let go, finished reading his memories. "She did excellent for the first training session, master."

Aro clapped his hands happily, turning to his brothers. He has a huge smile on his face, his red eyes looking especially bright now. "I am so proud of you, cara mia! You were so beautiful and fierce while sparring with dear Felix. You are still young but did exceptionally well for a newborn."

Marcus smiled when Caius finally let Hekate go, caressing her cheek. "Of course, you did. We never doubted you." He kissed her forehead and then her lips softly. "We will leave you now, dear."

Caius turned to Demetri and the twins, giving them a stern look. "If anything goes wrong, come get us immediately."

Aro ignored Caius being Caius as he held Hekate's hand. He pulled her gently, twirling her into his arms so her back was against his chest. He smiled down at her, squeezing her gently. "I love you, cara mia. I will see you soon." He leaned to the side and down, gently kissing her. "Though, please don't overexert yourself as much as you did earlier this week."

Hekate fanned herself as her mates exited the room, heading back to the throne room. "Sweet baby Jesus…" They entered and left the room in a whirlwind, leaving her an utter mess behind them.

Demetri let out a loud laugh, Felix chuckling deeply while the twins were giggling at her. "Flustered, my queen?"

Hekate rubbed her face, trying to calm herself down. "Oh shush."

Demetri snickered with the others while Hekate downed the second glass of animal blood. "Let's get started, shall we?"

The twins, now done cleaning the room, appeared in front of the queen. Alec spoke first, "I'll go first, leaving Jane's more painful gift for last. We want to first test out your gifts range, then how well you can use it while distracted. For obvious reasons, Jane's session will be more difficult."

Hekate slowly nodded as she rubbed her arms. She wasn't cold but was nervous. She saw how painful Jane's powers could be and didn't particularly want to experience it. She did see how it would help train her gift though, she just didn't like it. "Okay." She then looked at everyone, "You should move behind me if you're not going to be a test subject… I haven't worked on keeping it contained before."

Demetri stood behind Hekate, out of the way but able to see everyone else. Felix stood beside Alec in the back, the two of them being the test subjects. Jane moved to Demetri's side, also keeping a watchful eye on everyone. "Alright. Alec and Felix, walk forward until you can feel Hekate's powers."

Hekate gulped as she saw the men slowly walking forward, seeing nothing but trust in their eyes. Their trust helped fuel her confidence, making her stand straighter and hold out her hands. She focused on the familiar energy in her veins, pulling it to her hands. Instead of the usual wave she did, she pushed it out farther, or tried to. It was hard to push the wave farther and farther, wanting to reach the back of the room. She could feel though that she wasn't even close to that yet. She was surprised that she went halfway there at least, but that's when it began wavering, her control slipping. She grunted as she pushed herself, not letting the wave of her powers drop. She kept it right where it was, even though it hurt. It felt like every muscle in her body was starting to ache. "I can't hold it for too long."

Demetri called out to her, "Hold it for as long as you can, Hekate. Don't get frustrated with yourself yet and don't give up. We're just starting."

Alec hissed when he stepped into her range, feeling his entire body going numb quickly. It felt like static was spreading through his ancient veins. "I'm hit."

Felix grunted when he stepped beside Alec, feeling it instantly. "Me too." Both men were shaking from trying to stay upright. Their limbs were hurting from the static but felt numb as well, making them shake and wobble.

Demetri nodded his head, "Good, very good, Hekate. Now, hold that as long as you can. When you feel like you can't, it's okay to drop it."

Hekate looked up at Alec and Demetri, grinding her teeth as she did her best. She was trying to keep it up but without trying to kill Alec and Felix. Right now, she was very slowly doing it, so the venom's healing factor was faster. It just hurt and felt very uncomfortable for them now. But if she let her control slip, her powers could advance and begin killing them. After two minutes her arms began shaking violently, her head was starting to hurt, and her control was slipping. After two and a half minutes she had to drop it. Her arms dropped to her sides, the queen groaning from the limp feeling in her arms. Alec and Demetri both leaned against a wall, needing the support while their bodies began to heal them.

Demetri looked down at Jane, "I think we should take a break before Alec starts his training." Alec, Felix and Demetri all thanked him as they needed time to recuperate.

Jane nodded, agreeing with the tracker. She moved over to Hekate, rubbing her arm. "Are you alright to continue, Hekate?"

Hekate nodded, looking down at Jane with a smile on her face. "So far, I am. Thanks, Jane." She sighed as she stretched out her arms, turning to her twin. "I'm ready when you are Alec."

Felix was done for the day, so he moved to Demetri's side, staying out of the way. Alec stood up from the wall, moving to stand across from the queen. "If you get scared or need me to stop, just say so and I will."

Jane nodded, "I'm going to be here, holding you in case you fall."

Alec held out his hands, getting ready. "I'm going to do thirty second increments. I'll take everything away but your hearing, so I'll tell you if I feel anything. If you can't affect me after the sixth time, we'll move on. Okay?"

Hekate slowly nodded, "Okay." She held out her hands as well, taking in a deep breath to calm herself. "Ready."

Three seconds later Hekate felt Alec's powers hit her or felt absolutely nothing so she knew it worked. She could feel anything, even Jane's hand on her that she knew was there. She couldn't see the room or any light at all. The only thing she could hear was voices in the castle, far away.

She focused, knowing she only had twenty-five seconds left this round. It was very disorienting since she had almost all her senses taken away. It took twice as much concentration to even pull together her power. She tried to push it out but didn't know which direction to aim it. She logically knew Alec should be in front of her, but she didn't which way that was anymore.

"Time."

Hekate cursed quietly as she got her senses back, seeing Alec staring at her. She could feel Jane holding her securely. She could hear Demetri talking to Felix quietly, Felix leaving the room. "I didn't know where to aim, I felt so lost…"

Demetri walked up to them, rubbing Hekate's shoulder. "It's alright, Hekate. You're new at this, don't get frustrated. We all saw how hard you were concentrating. We just need to keep working together with this, you'll get better in no time."

Jane smiled up at Hekate. "We all believe in you, Hekate."

Alec nodded his head, smiling at her. "You can do this."

Hekate smiled at them, feeling very touched as she hugged the twins and Demetri. "Thank you, guys, I'm so happy I have you as coven mates. I love you all."

The twins smiled brightly at Hekate while Demetri just smiled softly. Demetri already saw Hekate as a best friend while the twins were slowly starting to view Hekate as more than a friend. Aro was like a father to them and Hekate was quickly becoming a mother-figure to them.

{X}

Aro flinched when he heard Hekate cries echoing down the hallways from the training room. He, Caius and Marcus were barely restraining themselves from running in there and stopping it. Aro and Caius had both had Jane's power turned on them before, out of curiosity. Marcus never saw the appeal like his brothers. Even he could tell how badly it hurt.

At first Hekate suffered in silence, like she did during her transformation. After the fourth time, Hekate didn't want to quit but her tolerance was out the window. That's when the kings heard her cries. They only stopped themselves because Hekate wanted to push herself, to get stronger. She was managing to affect Jane a little bit, which was amazing.

Caius growled lowly when he heard Hekate cry out again, squeezing his fists so hard he was almost breaking bones. "That's been enough for today, why doesn't she quit?"

Marcus squeezed Caius' shoulder to reassure him and to keep him still if he bolted. "We all know how stubborn our mate is, it's one of the things I love so much about her. However, it has its downsides. She doesn't like to be seen as weak."

Caius looked back at them, frowning deeply. "This just proves that she's not weak. Only the strongest of vampires could handle this kind of torture and she's doing it willingly."

They all grew silent when a loud thump echoed down the hall, followed by a flurry of movement and cloth moving.

"Hekate? Are you alright?"

"Hekate?!"

"Hekate, you pushed yourself too hard."

The three kings ran into the room to see Hekate on the ground. She was half sitting, half laying down. Demetri was holding her up because her arms were shaking too bad to hold herself up. Alec and Jane were frowning down at her, hovering nervously. That was until the kings came in.

Hekate barely had time to register that they were there until they were around her. Marcus was holding her up, rubbing her back. Caius was rubbing her right arm while Aro was rubbing her left arm. Demetri moved back for them, now standing with the twins. "I'm alright guys."

Caius grumbled at her, "You did exactly what Demetri said. You pushed yourself too hard."

Marcus gently kissed her temple, "You need to take care of yourself to continue training properly, dear. Just because you're immortal and don't sleep doesn't mean you can push yourself like this. Your gifts wear you out immensely still."

Aro sighed as he squeezed both of her hands, kissing them gently. "If nothing else, cara mia, do it for us. We love you and never want you to feel so badly."

Hekate looked them all in the eyes, seeing that they weren't going to let this go. So, she did. She nodded softly, sighing as she leaned back into Marcus. The arm massages she was getting really did feel heavenly. "I know, I won't push myself too hard next time. I was just so close to getting it that last time…"

Demetri nodded at the kings. "She did exceptionally well, especially for her first time."

Alec looked down at the queen, smiling at her. "She managed to make my legs go numb when I used my powers on her, at least after the fifth time."

Marcus smiled down at Hekate as he kissed her head. "I'm very proud of you, my dear."

Aro nodded quickly, "Yes, cara mia, we are all so proud of you." He kissed her hand before pulling her up with Caius. "However, you need to rest."

Caius raised an eyebrow at his mate when she looked like she was going to protest. "No arguing."

Hekate sighed while shaking her head, "Alright." She then turned to the guard, smiling at them. "Thank you for today, I really appreciate it."

Demetri, Alec and Jane all bowed their heads to her with smiles on their faces.

Hekate then gasped when Aro picked her up, carrying her bridal style. "I can walk, you know!"

Marcus chuckled at how Hekate was pouting up at Aro and now him and Caius. "Says the woman who collapsed not even minutes ago."

Hekate sulked in Aro's arms as he carried her up to the royal wings. "I could have walked now though…"

Caius was smirking at her, enjoying how cute Hekate was when she was pouting. "Sure, love."

Aro smiled down at her brightly, "Even if you could walk, cara mia, I simply love having you in my arms." He then laughed softly when he knew how that affected her. Their flirting with her still drove her crazy, which was adorable and made Aro's heart flutter in his chest.

Hekate hid her face in Aro's chest, shaking her head. That was until Aro laid her down on her bed. She smiled brightly when the three men curled up around her. Aro was behind her, letting her lay in his lap, one of his legs crossed while the other was against her. He was massaging her scalp with his fingers and fingernails. Caius was on her left, half sitting up as he looked down at her. He was holding her left hand with his, rubbing her knuckles. Marcus was on her right, massaging her right arm since they still ached and shook slightly. "You really do spoil me."

Marcus smiled at her, leaning over to kiss her gently. "Of course, dear. We're going to spoil you for eternity."

Caius nuzzled her neck, gently kissing it. "You haven't seen anything yet, love."

Aro smirked down at his mate, brushing her hair back from her forehead and kissing it. "Just wait until tomorrow. You're going to be so surprised!" He was almost shaking trying to hold in his excitement.

Hekate narrowed her eyes up at Aro, "I'm scared. I could just call my mom."

Aro waved his finger at Hekate, "I already called your mother. She and Jasper pledged their silence."

Caius laughed when Hekate grumbled about that being cheating, "Wouldn't it be you who cheated to call your mother who has visions?"

Marcus smirked at Hekate and Caius, "I do believe it would, brother."

Aro grinned while Hekate groaned loudly, "We love you even though you're a cheater."

Hekate's pout was wiped off her face when she got kissed by all three of her mates, giggling as she reveled in the attention and love.


	21. Chapter 21

_**Amethyst-Pheonix2003, Cpaercf, Skywroe, Marlastiano, Angel897, AnonAnon, Zigra1825:** Thank you guys so much for the reviews!_

 _You guys really like Amelia so far, huh? That's great! She is definitely his mate now. I've been fleshing out her character ever since the last update. I never described her appearance so I'll leave that for her chapter of 'Paths to Limbo'. She may be based off of Amy Allan from Dead files but only in concept and name. She's going to look completely different._

 _AnonAnon: Thank you so much! Your review made my day._

* * *

 _This chapter is pure fluff and I love it. It's one of my favorite chapters so far, I was grinning the whole time I was working on it. I hope you love it just as much!_

 _Now: I have a few songs/videos for this chapter if you want to watch/listen. I copied the dances from specific videos if you want a visual aid for later in the chapter._ _All of these videos are on youtube if you wish to listen/watch as you read!_

 _' Strange Magic' the version from the movie 'Strange Magic' is one of the songs I listened to most while writing this chapter. _

_Caius' dance is the Viennese Waltz. Their version is simple so I suggest watching: " How to dance the Viennese Waltz - it takes two" from the channel BBC Strictly Come Dancing _

_Marcus' dance is the Foxtrot. I copied the dance exactly from: " Georgia May Foote & Giovanni Pernice Foxtrot to 'Beauty & the Beast'" From BBC Strictly Come Dancing. _

_Aro's dance is the tango. His video is the only one from a movie. His is copied from 'Another Cinderella Story' and is the " Valentine's Day Dance Tango" from the movie. _

* * *

Hekate was relaxing on her bed, reading and listening to music on her iPod. She had been alone for the past few hours, her mates saying they needed to attend to some business. Hekate put her book down when she thought about that night. She smiled faintly, remembering how her mates did spoil her. She got a full body massage since her body was sore from the training session. After that, Aro ran a bubble bath for her. He added essential oils, bath salts, bubbles and flower petals. They let her bathe in peace while classical music floated around the room from the speakers. When Hekate emerged from the bath, she found silk pajamas waiting on her. Marcus brushed her hair after he dried it gently with a fluffy towel. Caius was sketching her again while cuddling with her, Aro talked excitedly about showing her around Italy in the next few days. It was one of her favorite moments, just relaxing with her three mates in the same bed together.

Hekate paused her music when she thought she heard a familiar fairy-like laugh echoing down the hall. She pulled her ear buds out just as her door opened, Jane smiling at her. "Who's here, Jane?"

Jane held the door open wide, bowing her head slightly. "Your parents, ma'am."

Alice skipped into the room, holding the hand of her husband. A brilliant smile formed on her face when she saw Hekate lounging on her giant bed. "I do love your room!" She then ran right to Hekate's walk-in closet, letting out a loud squeal. "I love it!"

Jasper chuckled while he held out his arms for his daughter, "Hello, Darlin. How's Volterra?"

Hekate hugged her father, breathing in the familiar smell of leather, spice and forest that surrounded him. "I love it." She winked up at him, ignoring the sounds of Alice gushing about Hekate's clothes and accessories. "How's Forks?"

Jasper smirked down at her, moving back to sit on one of the couches. "Boring without you. Bella is trying to get into everyone's good graces again. Emmett is starting to warm up to her again, as are Esme and Carlisle. Rosalie, Alice and I still hate her."

Hekate sighed at that, shaking her head. "I just hope that doesn't bite them in the ass. You are all too nice to go through any more shit because of her." She then grinned when Alice walked back in the room, "Hey mom."

Alice hugged her daughter tightly, smiling up at her. "Gosh, I love the visions I get of you and your mates. You all seem so happy, I'm glad for you."

Hekate smiled brightly, feeling butterflies erupting inside her. "I really do love them so much." She then tilted her head at them, "I'm ecstatic you guys are visiting but…"

Alice raised her finger at her, shaking her head. "Ah, ah. It's a secret!" She winked at her, snapping her fingers. "Boys."

Demetri and Felix walked in then, each carrying armfuls of luggage. Felix was scowling while Demetri looked amused. "Ma'am." They each carried the luggage into Hekate's closet, setting them down.

Hekate crossed her arms, looking to her father. Only to see he was no longer there, suddenly vanished. She turned back to Alice, clearing her throat. "Mom."

Alice giggled, "It's a secret, dear! For now, I want to go look around Volterra with you."

Jane spoke up finally, having been standing in the corner of the room. "Renata and I will be escorting you and Alice. The masters are sad to say they will be busy for a few more hours."

Hekate knew something was going on but didn't fight it. She nodded at Demetri and Felix who were waiting on her to dismiss them. "Thank you, tell my mates I'll be back soon and don't worry about me."

Demetri chuckled as he bowed, walking out of the room. "They always worry about you, Hekate."

Felix smirked, shaking his head as he shut the door behind him. "Especially Caius."

"Shush, before Caius hears you."

Hekate sighed as she turned to Jane, now that the men were gone. "They're really sending Renata with us? She's an absolute sweetheart but Aro's personal guard? She doesn't have to protect me, we're not going to war in Volterra."

A timid voice spoke up from the doorway, the heavy doors being silently pushed open by said woman. Renata was very short, just at five foot tall. She had wavy, black hair that was half pinned back. Her dark-maroon eyes were covered with brown contacts for the outing. She was wearing her black cloak over what appeared to be jeans and a lilac blouse. "Aro didn't ask me to escort you to town, your majesty… I volunteered. I wouldn't want anything to happen to you, no matter how unlikely that is…" She didn't look Hekate in the eyes, looking at her neck or down at the ground. She did look at Alice though, finding her unusual but pleasant.

This was the first time Hekate had met Renata. On the plane ride over she had asked her mates to tell her about every guard member. Renata had been one of the first ones Aro told her about. He told her Renata was a very sweet girl who came from a vampire-friendly family. They were frequently turned into vampires. Renata's uncle was even the one who encouraged Renata to join the Volturi. Renata's gift to reflect any physical attack quickly placed her on the upper guard and as Aro's personal guard. She protected all the kings equally but Aro usually was the focal point of any attack or 'discussions' on the battlefield.

Marcus had warned Hekate that Renata was extremely shy and would take a while to warm up to her, unless they wanted Chelsea to use her gift. Hekate hated the idea of Chelsea's gifts and explicitly told her mates to not use them. If Chelsea tried to use her gift on her Hekate would leave Volterra. She didn't want her gifts used on the guards either, they should stay of their own will. Marcus and Aro had consoled her by telling her the guard was here willingly. Chelsea's gifts were mostly used to break bonds of their enemies.

Hekate ignored the thoughts in her head, looking at the nervous woman in front of her. Renata was undoubtedly four times as old as Hekate, but she seemed like a child. She turned to her mother, seeing her gone and going through Hekate's closet, mumbling about what outfit Hekate should wear. Hekate smiled fondly before turning back to Renata. "I'm flattered that you're worried that much, Renata. I'd love it if you joined us."

Renata's eyes jumped to look at hers. She grinned brightly at that, seeming to light up. "Really?" She giggled softly when Hekate nodded. "You really are so beautiful, your majesty. I saw you yesterday at the meeting but was too nervous to approach you."

Hekate moved forward, gently touching her shoulder. "You can call me, Hekate, Renata. We're going to be living together for forever it seems. No need to be so formal when we're in relaxed company."

Renata looked up at her with a brilliant smile on her face, "Thank you, Hekate."

Hekate smiled softly at her before going to get changed, letting Alice hand her the outfit first. Alice shut the closet door behind her, turning to the two girls with a huge smile on her face. "You have to let me do your hair!"

Renata looked at Jane nervously, the pixie's exuberant energy unnerving her. "Uh?"

Jane accepted her fate, sighing as she sat on the couch since she was a little taller than Alice. "Okay." She looked up at Renata, narrowing her eyes. "You're next."

{X}

Jasper snuck away from his wife and daughter when he had the chance, Demetri had told him the kings needed his assistance with the big surprise. He re-traced his steps before following the directions Demetri texted him. The ball room was on the same level as the royal wings, but on the other side of the castle. He knew he finally found the right room based on the noise behind the ornate wooden doors. He slid them open to reveal a magnificent ball room being decorated by the lower guard. The walls were made of light stone, gold accents and artwork everywhere. The floor was made of a dark wood, polished perfectly per Aro's wishes. The windows and lights in the room reflected off the gold, making the room shimmer in the sun. The vampire's in the room added to the shimmering effect, making it truly a breathtaking space.

Half of the guard were setting up the decorations while the rest were cleaning the space even further. Jasper looked up at the second level of the ball room, to the balcony over the front of the room. He recognized the balcony immediately as the same one from the painting in Carlisle's office. Aro, Caius and Marcus were standing up there as they looked over the progress for the surprise masquerade ball for Hekate's arrival.

"Jasper!"

Jasper looked up to see the kings turned to face him now. Aro was smiling brightly, his hands clasped together by his navel like usual. Marcus was smiling softly at him while Caius looked indifferent as usual. Jasper could tell he was as happy as his brothers though. "This room is gorgeous, Hekate is going to love it." He made his way down the steps to the dance floor while the kings did the same, their balcony having a separate staircase.

Aro smiled brightly at Jasper when they met on the floor, the guard moving out of their way quickly. "I do hope she will."

Caius chuckled at Aro, "He's been stressing about this for days."

Marcus raised an eyebrow at the decorations being placed around rapidly, the vampires moving at rapid speed. "And he's spared no expense for our queen."

Jasper nodded, "She may not like that part, but she will absolutely love this." He smirked at Marcus, "You watched Beauty and the Beast on your first date, you know she loves balls." He then smiled at Aro, feeling him begin to panic. "Alice and I bought Hekate's gown. She also saw your outfits you picked out, buying ours to be similar. She's out right now distracting Hekate like you asked."

Aro clapped his hands happily, "Thank you so much, Jasper."

Jasper shook his head at the three men, a sincere smile forming on his lips. "As strange as it is, you're going to be my sons in law someday. I'll do anything to make my family happy and that now includes you."

Caius smirked at the irony, considering the age differences between everyone. They were over three thousand years old, Jasper was almost two hundred years old and Hekate wasn't even twenty years old yet. The twenty-year-old would be their wife, the two-hundred-year-old would be their father in law. "Strange as it is, I'm glad she chose you two out of the Cullens."

Jasper chuckled softly at the slight dig from Caius, knowing it was just his nature. "Me too."

Aro sighed at Caius, shaking his head. He then turned to Jasper, showing him around the room to get his input on everything. "I sent out invitations last minute, that way Hekate has a memento to keep. I also sent masks to everyone, that way they match the theme. Did you and Alice get yours?"

"Yes, Aro."

"Great! Now, what do you think of all the black tablecloths? Is it too much? I plan on having a Halloween ball for her birthday, do you think I shouldn't use black for this one too?"

"Aro, it's fine."

Marcus looked at Caius, raising an eyebrow at their brother. "His planning skills are unmatched but…"

Caius nodded, crossing his arms as he watched the guard running back and forth, doing their best to avoid Aro and Jasper. "He gets a little insane about planning them."

{X}

Hekate relaxed when she was back in the elevator, heading down to the lobby. Renata and Jane were carrying most of the bags, at their own insistence. Alice had of course found shopping to do in Volterra. Hekate looked up to see Valentina typing away on her laptop. The human looked up in shock when she saw the queen. "Uh... Uh, hello, your majesty."

Hekate smiled slightly at her, "Hello Valentina." She didn't hate the woman but she had an underlying annoying personality that bothered her. She assumed that her mates didn't plan on turning her, but the poor woman didn't know that. She also noticed how Amelia didn't like her either. "Do you know where my mates are?"

Valentina paled a little at that. She did know where they were but Hekate couldn't know yet. Her mates were planning a huge surprise ball for her. They were still in the ball room, preparing everything. "No, ma'am…"

Hekate narrowed her eyes at the woman, "You're lying to me, Valentina." She turned her gaze away from the petrified woman to see Alice tugging on her hand. "What, mom?"

Alice smiled softly up at her daughter, able to see her newborn emotions getting the better of her. She was a newborn and had just found her mates. They would be inseparable for a while, being away for too long made Hekate antsy. "Let's take these bags to your room."

Hekate wanted to protest and hunt down her mates, which she could if they were in the castle if she really wanted to. Jane, Renata and Alice all seemed anxious about Hekate not reacting like that though. She sighed and shook her head, heading off to her room. She pulled out her phone, texting Caius quickly.

 _ **Hekate Whitlock Volturi [5:31pm]:**_ _Valentina is afraid of me now._

Hekate relaxed when Caius texted her back immediately, now in her royal wing.

 _ **Caius Volturi [5:32pm]:**_ _Shall I kill her, love?_

Hekate laughed softly as she walked in her room, ignoring the warm smiles she received from the three women. She then sighed as she sat on her bed, able to still smell her mates on the bed. Their scents were faint since they did nothing but lay there for a few hours, but still. It made her miss them more.

 _ **Hekate Whitlock Volturi [5:33pm]:**_ _No, Amelia just taught her how to cleanse the throne room. Keep her for a while at least so Amelia doesn't have to travel back just to teach another human…_

 _ **Hekate Whitlock Volturi [5:33pm]:**_ _I miss you and your brothers, Caius… Why are you avoiding me today? Did I do something?_

Hekate didn't know it but at that second Caius, Marcus, and Aro's hearts broke a little reading the text. They loved her more than anything else in the world, more than they could ever describe or show her. She did nothing but love them back. They were just busy hiding the surprise and ensuring it was perfect for her.

 _ **Caius Volturi [5:34pm]:**_ _We miss and love you, Hekate. We will be with you very soon, just be patient. You have done nothing but be perfect, love._

Hekate sighed again as she rubbed her finger over the screen, looking up to see Alice smirking down at her. "What is it?"

Alice giggled, shaking her head. "You're acting like a lovesick teenager."

Hekate frowned up at her mother, "I am a lovesick teenager."

Alice shook her head, smiling fondly. "You'll be alright, dear." She turned when Jane opened the door, showing Jasper standing in the doorway now. "Hello, love."

Jasper appeared by their side, kissing Alice's cheek. He then smiled down at his daughter, his hands still behind his back. "I heard that you're missing your mates." In reality he had seen the text when Caius showed his brothers. Hekate's normal amount of missing her mates was blown out of proportion due to her being a newborn still. That's why she was emotional. Jasper had left to help her but Aro handed him a box first, telling him to give it to Hekate. It was time for everyone to start getting ready anyways. The sun would be setting in about two and a half hours.

Jasper handed that box to Hekate, smiling softly at her. "Aro sent this for you, Darlin." Jane, Renata and Alice crowded around the bed, eager to see her reaction to the surprise.

Hekate held the black wooden box, sighing at the Volturi crest burned into the lid. Aro was always extravagant, it seemed. She slid back the lid to see a party invitation underneath a masquerade mask. She picked up the mask, marveling at how beautiful it was. It was made out of gold plated metal, cut intricately. Her mask had elegant spirals at her temples while it formed a crown at the center of her forehead, a diamond set in the mask. Hekate ran her fingers over the smooth metal before reading the invite.

"The Volturi Coven invites you to The Queen's Masquerade Ball on May third, 2006, at eight pm in the castle ballroom."

Hekate looked up at the women in the room, her jaw dropping. "They threw a ball for me?!"

Alice giggled excitedly, clapping her hands. "Yes!"

Jane smiled at Hekate, "Afton is going to be guarding your room while we get ready, Hekate."

Renata smiled shyly at Hekate, "We'll see you in the ballroom, your maj… Hekate." She corrected herself at the last second, smiling warmly at the queen. She then left with Jane, Afton shutting the door behind them.

Hekate looked up at her mom, "That's why you two came and distracted me."

Alice winked at her. "Nothing gets by me." She pulled her up, or Hekate let her but Alice ignored that, "Now, time for you to take a shower so I can fix your hair." She pushed Hekate into the bathroom, grinning at her. "I'll get the dresses ready."

Hekate huffed when Alice shut the door in her face, "You bought me a dress too?"

"Of course! I wasn't going to let the kings or any of the guard pick out your first ballgown! You're going to love it but hurry up and shower! I need to do hair, makeup, get both us dressed and help Jasper. He's lost with the complicated suit."

{X}

Hekate's hands reached up to her face, gently touching her cheek. She looked into the floor-length mirror with her jaw dropped. She looked absolutely beautiful and like a princess… No, a queen. She was a queen now. Her hair was pulled back into an intricate crown braid around her head. There were strands falling that framed her face, making it look softer. Alice had also pulled on the braids, making them bigger and softer as well. She didn't have any foundation on, but she didn't need it now. Her skin was flawless after the change. She had smokey eyeshadow, winged eyeliner and mascara on. She had on matte deep red lipstick on, that way it didn't rub off on her mates.

The dress though made Hekate tear up a little when Alice brought it out of its garment bag. The under bodice of the dress had a sweetheart cut and was a light cream color. The over layer was intricate designs made of iridescent beads. That layer formed a scoop neckline with a necklace and belt like design made of the same beads. The bottom of the dress consisted of four layers of fluffy tulle. The underskirt that came with it made the skirt even more puffy. Hekate loved the slight train it had in the back, as well as the corset backing. Alice knew her daughter well, Hekate loved the dress.

Alice held up the shoes for Hekate, smiling brightly at her. "Final touch." She sat the golden wedges down for her daughter. They were peep toe with crisscross fabric over the top. Alice watched as Hekate slipped the shoes on, gaining another four inches to her height. That made her five foot eleven now, the second tallest of the royals now. She was going to love looking down at Aro and Caius, as well as being almost the same height as Marcus. She wouldn't have to look up at him so drastically tonight.

Hekate turned to her mother, smiling at her brightly. "You look beautiful, mom."

Alice giggled, twirling in her dress. The ball had a cream theme for the females, black suits for the men. The royals were exempt from that, since it was about Hekate and them after all. They were all going to be wearing gold and black. Alice was in a cream ballgown but no where near as poofy as Hekate's. She was small and didn't want to seem even shorter. Her dress had light lace over the dress, with a sweetheart neckline and delicate cap sleeves. She was wearing champagne wedges, adding three inches to her height, but it didn't make a difference. Alice's hair was straightened and framed her face beautifully. "Thank you, dear."

"Your majesty?" Afton opened the main bedroom door, unable to see the women but knew where they were. "Jasper and Demetri are here to escort you two to the ball." He had already changed into his suit before he took over for Jane and Renata.

Jasper walked into the room, sighing as he tried to adjust his black tie. "Alice." He was in an all-black suit that looked dashing on him. He was missing his signature cowboy boots for black dress shoes that shone impeccably.

Alice appeared in front of him, fixing his suit and smoothing it down for him. "Here, honey."

Jasper smiled down at her, kissing the top of her head. "You look beautiful, Darlin."

Alice giggled, leaning up to kiss him while he was bent down. "You look handsome, honey."

Jasper looked up when Hekate walked out of her closet, smiling happily at her. "You look beautiful as well, Darlin."

Demetri walked in then, having waited to make sure the women were ready. He smiled when he saw Hekate hugging her father. "He's right. Your mates are going to be speechless when they see you, which means a lot concerning Aro."

Hekate laughed as Demetri moved to her side, holding out his elbow for her. "Thanks, 'metri. You look handsome as well." He was in an all-black suit as well but his was fancier than Jasper's. His lapels and the inside of his jacket had an intricate pattern in a darker shade of black than the rest of the suit. Demetri loved fashion though, his usual Volturi cloak was even fancier than the others because of this.

Demetri grinned brightly at her, "Are you ready, your majesty?" He laughed when Hekate pinched his arm.

Hekate smiled, shaking her head at her friend. "Shush, Demetri." She then turned to her parents. "Ready?"

Alice nodded happily, "Yes! I can't wait to see this." She quickly began pulling Jasper until he began leading her, laughing with her.

Demetri followed them, walking in-step with his queen. Afton followed behind them as the guard even though it wasn't truly necessary. Aro wanted someone with her at all times though because a few other covens were here as well, a way to introduce their queen to the vampire world.

Hekate got more nervous as they got closer to the supposed ballroom. She could hear multiple people talking, hear the soft music playing and shoes hitting the floor. Demetri stopped a few feet back from the doors while Jasper and Alice continued.

"Alice Cullen escorted by her husband, Jasper Whitlock."

Demetri turned to her with a big smile on his face, "Ready, your majesty?"

Hekate smiled softly to herself when she felt her anxiety fade away like a smooth tidal wave. She'd have to thank her father later. She turned to Demetri, nodding as confidence replaced her anxiety. "Yes."

Demetri walked forward, some of the lower guard still holding the doors open for them. Hekate felt her jaw drop a little at the room. From the doorway you entered a little balcony that led down to a platform. From there was the grand staircase, leading down to the dance floor. She couldn't see the middle of the room from where she was, just the ends, but it was beautiful. Demetri squeezed her arm gently before leading her down the short flight of steps. They turned as one of the guards announced their presence, though everyone already knew.

"Hekate Jackson Whitlock Volturi, Queen of the Volturi, escorted by Demetri Volturi."

Hekate grew still when she looked down at the bottom of the steps, where her mates were waiting on her. They truly looked like gods at the moment. The sunset was casting a warm glow into the room, making the gold shine, as well as all the everyone's skin. Her own skin was glistening in the sunlight, making her look like she was a dark angel. Her mates all had on the same outfit but tailored perfectly for them. The suits were black with gold details, the shirt and tie matching perfectly to the suit. They had on golden masks that were the masculine version of her own. Aro's hair was pinned back, some strands hanging down in the front which made him look even more handsome. Marcus's hair was down but straightened and pulled over his shoulders. Caius' hair was pulled back behind his ears while the rest fell behind his shoulders. They all wore similar stunning smiles as they looked up at Hekate.

Demetri gently squeezed her arm again before he began to lead her down the steps, drawing her out of her trance. She followed him gracefully, if not hurried to try and reach her mates. Demetri let go of her arm on the last step, moving to the side to stand with Felix. Marcus took her left hand while Caius took her right hand, Aro standing in front of her. "Hi."

Aro chuckled softly, kissing her softly. "Hello, cara mia. You look absolutely beautiful tonight."

Marcus kissed her hand, smiling warmly at her. "Breathtakingly stunning."

Caius squeezed her hand while he kissed her next, humming against her lips. "Devastatingly gorgeous, love. Do you like the surprise?"

Hekate was almost shaking from how happy and flustered she was. She looked around at the room again, a huge grin forming on her face. "I love it…" The room was getting darker quickly but all the candles and lights in the room made it cozy. The guests in the room were mingling, talking but most were dancing in the middle of the room, not far from them. She could see her parents showing off their dancing skills already. She turned to her mates, seeing them staring at her with pure love in their red eyes. It made her heart swell in her chest to the point where venom quickly pooled in her eyes. She moved forward, hiding her face in Aro's chest since he was closest. "I love you three so much… Thank you."

Aro rubbed her back while he smiled at his brothers who looked very worried, smelling and seeing her unshed tears. "They're happy tears, brothers."

Marcus relaxed, smiling down at his lovely mate, "You are very welcome, my dear."

Caius smiled when Hekate showed her face again, "May I have this dance, love?"

Hekate smiled at Aro, kissing his cheek. "Thank you Aro, it's very over the top but it's perfect." She then placed her hand in Caius', letting him lead her to the dance floor. Her dress flowed around her gracefully while her temporary height made her one of the tallest women in the room.

Aro sighed happily, his hands over his heart as he watched Caius leading Hekate through a _Viennese Waltz_. Hekate might not know the dance very well but Caius was an excellent teacher. He was making her look flawless as they spun around the dance floor, only a few couples remaining on the floor with them. Alec, Jane, Jasper and Alice were now doing the _Viennese Waltz_ with them. "She said it's perfect."

Marcus rubbed his shoulder, standing beside him as they watched their mate laugh when Caius performed a _fleckerl_ , dipping her slightly out of the circle they were dancing in. "Of course. You know her the best out of all of us, Aro." He smiled down at him, "You should have the last dance as yours is the most dramatic."

Aro smiled softly up at his brother, dipping his head to thank him. They watched together as their mate danced beautifully with Caius.

Hekate grinned up at Caius when the song ended, Caius having dipped her slightly. He was holding her in such a tender embrace, looking into her soul with the expression he wore. "I love you, Caius."

Caius blinked away his own tears, so happy to be here in his home with his mate who would be staying there with him forever. She was so beautiful in the candle light, looking up at him while her dress fanned out around them. "I love you so much, my love. More than I can ever tell you."

Hekate reached up, caressing his cheek without knocking off his mask. She then leaned up, kissing him lovingly. They both ignored the snickering from the Whitlocks, Felix, Demetri and Alec.

Marcus gave them a minute before walking over to them, tapping Caius on the shoulder. "I believe it's my turn for a dance with our lovely mate."

Hekate giggled shyly as she pulled back from Caius when he pulled them both up to a normal position. "Sorry, Marcus." Caius just sighed at his brother, kissing Hekate's hand before moving off the dance floor.

Marcus shook his head as he pulled her close, smiling down at her softly. "You never need to apologize for spending time with one of my brothers. We are all your mates. It may take a while to get used to that, but we have no ill feelings toward each other." He then nodded to Santiago, the one in charge of music for the evening. "Do you know the Foxtrot?"

Hekate nervously glanced at her parents and then back at Marcus. "I've only seen my parents do it once." She then smiled, feeling her anxiety floating away again, being replaced by confidence again. "Will you help me?"

Marcus kissed her temple, breathing in her scent. "Of course I will, dear. Trust me and I'll never let you down." He held out his hand to her then as the song began playing.

Hekate let out a quiet laugh when she recognized it as 'Beauty and the Beast'. "This seems to be our movie."

Marcus lead her to the middle of the dance floor as it cleared. "I do admit this is one of my favorite movies, of the few I've seen." He gently twirled her into his arms, holding her left hand at her right side and her right hand over her left arm. "You are my Belle, Hekate."

Hekate swayed with him until Marcus leaned out to the right, untangling from her. She leaned out to the left, both stretched as far as possible without letting go of the other's hand. She was pulled back to him, seeing him have his hands out in a normal dancing position. She held his right hand, her left arm on his right shoulder. His right hand was on her upper back as they danced. She looked up at him as he led her around the room, smiling at the way the candle light danced in his ruby eyes. "You are my Prince Adam, Marcus. Though, you are much more charming and handsome than him."

Marcus laughed softly as he slightly dipped her, both angling their heads back when they did. "Thank you, dear." He then raised his eyebrows at her, "I'm going to pick up the pace, are you ready?"

Hekate nodded, leaning in closer to him. "I trust you completely."

Marcus grinned as his heart seemed to be overflowing with love for his mate. "As I trust you, my queen." He began dancing even faster around the floor, Hekate spinning majestically in his arms as they danced together.

Hekate recognized the ending of the song, moving closer to Marcus so her chest was against his. She leaned up, kissing him softly as she gently caressed his cheek. Marcus kissed her back softly before he spun out of her grip, bending down on one knee and kissing her hand. Hekate looked up when everyone in the room was clapping loudly, smiling brightly at the couple. Her face would have been red hot if she were human still, instead she was shaking from excitement, happiness, love and a bit of nervousness from everyone staring. She sank down to the floor, her dress pooling around her as she hid her face in Marcus' chest. "That was amazing, Marcus. I didn't know I could dance like that."

Marcus gently rubbed her back, kissing her temple. "You can do anything, Hekate. You're the most amazing woman I've ever met. You just never give yourself enough credit to try things." He looked down at her when she stopped hiding, "There's my beautiful Belle."

Hekate smiled shyly at him until she was smoothly picked up off the floor. Aro was holding her up by her hips, smiling up at her. "You were absolutely amazing, cara mia." He sat her down gently, gently swaying to the soft music playing for the moment. "I knew you could do it. You've always liked dancing, especially with Mariana."

Hekate laid her head on his shoulder, humming as she followed his movement. "You know I've repressed a lot of my favorite things from before that night… I'm starting to come out of my shell again though."

Aro kissed her forehead, looking down at her with a tender expression on his face. "I know, cara mia. I'm so glad that we're able to help with that. You deserve the utmost happiness in life."

Hekate looked up at him, a single tear falling down her cheek. "You three being in my life grants that, Aro…"

Aro stumbled, showing just how surprised and ecstatic he was from her statement. He easily corrected his mistake, continuing to slow dance with his mate after wiping her tear away. "You have no idea how happy that makes me, cara mia." He stopped in the middle of the dance floor when the song ended, his song about to start next. "Do you trust me, my queen?"

Hekate placed both of her hands in his, nodding her head softly while looking into his eyes. "Absolutely."

Aro smirked down at her as the tango music began playing, "Good, because we're doing the tango."

Hekate bit her lip as she placed her right hand in his left, her left arm around his right shoulder. His right arm was on her waist, gently rubbing her skin through the fabric. "Don't let me mess up."

"Never, cara mia."

Together the two swayed to the intro of the song, more sensually than with the other two dances. Hekate relaxed when she listened to the music, feeling it in her bones. She dragged her right foot out, around and behind her left before bringing it back to normal position. She grinned at Aro when he looked surprised.

When the beat dropped slightly the two moved forward, looking into the other's eyes. Aro pulled them both back before moving back himself. He then pressed forward, brushing his lips against her cheek. Hekate wasn't one to be outdone, moving back herself and moving sensually forward as she kissed his jaw. They repeated this dance for a few more steps until Aro spun her gracefully. He then began leading her around the dance floor, never breaking eye contact with her.

Hekate felt Aro gently squeeze her hip when he paused, giving her a silent hint. She moved her left leg out, around and tapped the back of his right leg before bringing it to normal position. He moved his left leg out then, she mirrored him with her right leg. They returned to normal, Hekate spinning under his raised arm. However, when she came back closer to him, she wrapped her left leg around his left hip. His grin turned into his jaw dropping when she raised her right leg up until it was above her head, the dress hiding everything with his many layers.

"You never cease to surprise and amaze me, cara mia."

"I can say the same for you, Aro."

He led them around for a few more turns before he lifted her up slightly. She wrapped her legs around him, leaning back while baring her chest and throat to him. He pulled her back to normal, his eyes darkening a few shades which she didn't fail to notice. She smirked as he sat her down, spinning her under his arm again. He spun her out after that, she spun away in beautiful circles. Aro used his vampire speed to appear behind her, wrapping his arms around her. He dipped her down, kissing her sensually just as the song ended.

Hekate groaned against Aro when he ran his tongue over her lip, biting just enough to make it hurt and feel good at the same time. She pulled back when she realized everyone was clapping loudly, as well as Alice giggling about the kiss. She hid her face in Aro's chest while he chuckled, Hekate able to feel the vibrations against her chest. "Thank you, Aro. This has been amazing."

Aro kissed her head, rubbing her back gently. "You're welcome, Hekate. I'll do anything and everything in this world to make you happy. As will my brothers. You are our entire world, cara mia."

Hekate looked up when Marcus and Caius appeared around her. She smiled, wiping at her eyes to wipe away her tears. "I love you three so much." She smiled again when they all hugged her again, group hugs quickly becoming her favorite kind.


	22. Chapter 22

_Thank you to: **Angel897, Marlastiano, MarleeMiller5769, AnonAnon, JensenKent, Ravennalorren** for reviewing! It's greatly appreciated everyone!_

* * *

 _This chapter starts Eclipse. This chapter is a week before Alice's vision and I'll be time skipping around until Hekate is informed of the situation in Washington. She will be having her own adventures in Europe with her mates which you will all love._

* * *

Hekate put the book down, narrowing her eyes at the Italian on the page. Her head was hurting from trying to learn the language. She had taken Spanish in high school and was decent at it, but nowhere near fluent. Spanish was a lot easier to learn than Italian though, or Hekate thought so. She had been trying to learn the language because she lived in Italy now, most of the coven spoke it and she hated being out of the loop. Usually someone translated for her, but she hated being treated like a child in front of everyone. Especially when the person, usually Marcus, had to repeat everything in her ear in English.

"Giving up, Hekate?"

Hekate grumbled at Alec and Jane, her temporary guardians. "Shush, children who can speak in over five languages."

Jane giggled at Hekate, leaning back on the couch. "Over ten."

Alec smirked when Hekate glared at them, wiggling his fingers at her. "And some dead languages."

Hekate groaned, shoving the book across the tabletop. "I'm surrounded by geniuses."

Jane laughed softly, "We're just all ancient and have had the entire time to learn these languages."

Hekate rolled her eyes at the twins, turning to her laptop. She brought up a video of the Italian version of 'He Lives in You' from Lion King 2. If she could do anything in Italian, it would be to sing a Disney song. She put on the headphones, trying to memorize the words and pronunciations.

Jane smirked, whispering to Alec so Hekate wouldn't hear them. "Aro is going to find this adorable."

Alec nodded his head, agreeing with his sister. "Marcus would love it if she sang the songs from that Beast movie."

Demetri opened the doors to Hekate's room, smiling when he heard her singing along to the song now. She was off a little bit still but was much better than two days ago. He walked into the room, calling out her name just loud enough for her to hear over the music, which wasn't too loud considering they were all vampires. "Your mates are stuck in an emergency meeting. Afton and Santiago brought in a destructive newborn and his creator."

Hekate pulled her headphones down, nodding softly. "I don't see why they won't let me in the throne room when they have meetings still. It's not like I'd get hurt."

Demetri shrugged his shoulders slightly, "It's a possibility, one they are still terrified of. One day soon they will let you. In the meantime, it gives us more time to spend with you."

Hekate smiled softly at the guard, "That is true. I'm glad you're all my friends. I love you three."

Demetri smiled brightly at her, "I love you too, but just because Felix is occupied doesn't mean you get to skip training today."

Hekate groaned, getting up while the twins snickered behind her. "Yeah, yeah. I take back my earlier statement."

Demetri chuckled as he walked with Hekate down to the training room. "Sure, your majesty."

{X}

Hekate groaned as she laid on her bed on her stomach, facing away from the door. She was resting after the grueling training session Demetri put her through. She sparred with him for two hours, but the other two hours were spent on her gift. Her muscles ached and her head hurt from the overuse of her gift. She liked the ache though, it proved that she was improving. It was already a significant improvement from when they started. They still had some ways to go, though.

She had taken a shower, her damp hair air drying while falling over her shoulders. She had on a black tank that rode up to show a strip of flesh, a soft sports-bra on underneath it. The black straps showed on her back, under the tank. Her shorts were black with a light pink floral print on them. They ended just below her butt, showing off her legs and the curve of her ass. She didn't particularly pick out the outfit to be sexy, but it worked. The tank and shorts were just really soft and comfy.

She was waiting on her mates, having to deal with a lot of business that day for some reason. She didn't particularly mind since she hadn't been alone until now. The twins and Demetri kept her company since her mates left. For now, Chelsea and Afton were in the hallway, her temporary guard. She didn't want to watch a movie, knowing her mates would be back before she could finish one. She was done trying to learn Italian for the day. She didn't really feel like reading a book, so she got on her laptop and browsed the web mindlessly.

One moment she had been looking at things to do in America, for the next time she visited her parents or went on a trip with her coven. The next moment she was looking at a post about how beautiful New York was. Hekate took in a deep, unnecessary, breath as she clicked on a New York news page. It had been over a year since she had been in her home state, much less city. She scrolled through the usual political news, the crime reports, random school events. What made her pause was an article about a charity event the past month.

" _ **Mother raises money for lost daughter, a charity for missing kids"**_

 _Selena Jackson, a local RN, hosted a charity event yesterday for missing kids. Thanks to her, almost two thousand dollars has been raised for this charity! Selena's only daughter went missing exactly a year ago after her friends had been murdered by a notorious gang. No one has seen or heard from her since, not even her own mother. Selena fears that her daughter may be dead but is always waiting for news of her daughter. Hekate is the inspiration for this…"_

Hekate couldn't read the rest of the article as her vision was blurred from her tears. She pushed the laptop away, rubbing furiously at the venom tears running down her cheeks. Her mother, who was surely devastated by her disappearance, formed a charity event and raised money in her honor. Her mother was so amazing and strong, making Hekate's heart break even more. Her mother deserved to know she was alive, safe, happy and loved. She couldn't tell her though, she couldn't reveal the vampire secret to humans unless she planned on turning them. Her mother wouldn't be happy as a vampire, she knew it. It would be selfish of Hekate to turn her mother just because she missed her.

That didn't stop Hekate from wanting to board a plane to the states that moment. She could almost see herself rushing into her mother's arms, telling her everything. Her mother would absolutely love the Cullens and Volturi. It would take her time to adjust to Hekate having three boyfriends, but Selena was an amazing mother. She'd see how much they all loved each other, how well they treated her and cherished her.

Now, though, Selena was truly alone. Selena never dated after Robert's death. Despite him being abusive, he was the love of her life. She threw her focus on her career and daughter. Now, Selena only had her career and despite it being a fulfilling career, it was draining. Hekate had left her mother all alone in the world.

Hekate made the choice to enter witness protection without telling her mother. The agents had suggested leaving Selena out of the loop to keep her safe. They would have her under watch for a month after the murders, or so they promised Hekate. She desperately wanted her mother with her since she would have absolutely no one when she entered the program. She just couldn't make her mother quit her job as a nurse after having climbed the hierarchical nurse ladder. Her mother had a beautiful home in New York, her family was buried here. Her husband was buried here. Her career was here. Hekate couldn't drag her mother away from that, not after all she had done to her.

Hekate let out a loud sob when she realized what all she had done to her mother, thinking about Mariana and Martin's mom as well. Her whole life seemed to revolve around devastating other's lives. She killed her own father, widowed her mother, gotten her friends killed, left her mother alone. She made WITSEC believe she was missing or dead. She left the case against the gang to dry up without the key witness. The gang would have undoubtedly killed more people because of that, meaning those lives were on her head. Their blood was on her hands.

Her power truly fit her, a killer and monster. She was a monster!

Hekate grabbed her Volturi cloak, pulling it over her arms before rushing out of the room. She ignored Chelsea and Afton who called out after her. She didn't want to speak to anyone, especially them at the moment. She used her newborn speed to bypass everyone, heading to the garden. She slammed the doors shut behind her, stalking over to the tree and jumping up into it. She groaned loudly as she leaned against the tree trunk, glaring up at the moon as more tears ran down her cheeks.

Why did she allow herself to be happy? She didn't deserve this life, to be happy, to have such amazing friends and family like she has now. She especially didn't deserve to have amazing mates like Aro, Caius and Marcus. They were angels to her, loving her entirely despite how awful of a person she was.

She didn't deserve anything she had now, she deserved to be dead. She's taken too many lives already in her short life to have this life. She was only going to take more lives in her immortal life now. Her own gift was a monstrous gift. Vampires got unique and wonderous gifts. Jasper could control emotions, Alice got visions, Aro could read emotions, Marcus could see relationship bonds, Demetri could track anyone anywhere. These people had such amazing gifts while Hekate just killed people. She sucked the life out of them without even touching them know. Hekate curled up on the branch, crying into her knees as more dark and depressing thoughts ran through her head.

{X}

Chelsea nervously looked at her mate as they heard the door slam to the garden, able to faintly hear Hekate crying from their spot. "We need to tell the kings."

Afton nodded, grimacing. "I just hope all their business is done. They'll want to know about this but…"

Chelsea nodded as they ran towards the throne room, "But they hate being interrupted."

The couple paused when Demetri stepped in front of the doors, "They're just finishing up."

Afton nodded, grimacing again. "Yes, but we have something important to tell them."

Demetri sighed, "They're not going to be happy about this…"

Chelsea shook her head, "Demetri, it's about her majesty."

"Come in, now." Caius called out to them from inside the throne room. He didn't yell at them but the hidden danger in his tone made it seem like he had.

Demetri immediately opened the doors, now sporting a worried frown on his model-worthy face. He stayed quiet as they entered the room. Felix and Santiago were disposing of the bodies now while the kings were moving closer to them. Aro moved to Afton's side, holding his hand while Caius appeared in front of Chelsea. "What happened?"

Chelsea gulped purely from nerves at the expression and look in Caius' eyes. "She had gone quiet for a while until we smelled her tears. We were about to ask if she was alright when she rushed past us. We couldn't keep up with her because she's a newborn. She slammed the doors to the garden and we could hear her sobbing. We came here immediately."

Aro dropped Afton's hand like it burned him, a shaky breath leaving his lips. He then quickly shooed all the guard away, "Leave us and give your queen the privacy she deserves."

Demetri paused in the doorway, wanting to go comfort his dear friend and queen. He saw how worried the kings looked as they headed to the garden, knowing that Hekate was in good hands. He pulled out his phone, calling his mate as he headed to his own private quarters.

Caius clenched his fists when he heard Hekate's quiet cries as they got close enough, lunging forward until Aro held him back. He growled lowly at his brother, his teeth bared at him. "What are you doing? She's upset!"

Aro nodded, holding him back still. His expression mirrored the pain they all felt. "Yes, but if you barge in there like that you're going to upset her more. We have to be delicate and calm, Caius."

Marcus nodded, rubbing Caius' shoulder while barely restraining himself from continuing to run to the garden. "Calm, brother."

Caius sighed, relaxing his shoulders as he nodded to them both. "Okay…" He would thank Aro later for that but for now, all they could think about was comforting their mate.

Marcus was the one to open the doors, his heart breaking even further in his chest when he saw his mate. She was curled up in one of the trees, almost hidden behind the foliage if it weren't for the red of her Volturi cloak. She had been crying but was now trying to stop, hiding her face in her knees again. He could smell the venom tears from where he was, the smell indicating just how hard she had been crying.

Caius moved to the base of the tree, looking up at his mate. "Hekate, love, will you please come down?"

Hekate choked back a sob as she looked down at the sad expression on Caius' face. "I'm not worthy of any of you. I'm a monster."

Caius shook his head quickly, "You're an angel in heaven compared to us, love. We love you completely and with every fiber of our beings. Please?"

Hekate turned to face Aro who looked like he could cry while Marcus just looked devastated. "See, you would be happier without me." She looked up at the moon, knowing it wasn't even dark in New York yet. She couldn't even look up at the same sky as her mother.

Marcus took a shot next, holding his hand up to her. "Will you please come down dear? We can go to your room and cuddle together and talk about this."

Aro saw her flinch at that, sighing sadly. "Do you not want to talk about this?"

Hekate shook her head, hiding her face in her knees again and wrapping her arms around them. "No… I'll be fine when these thoughts stop hounding me… You should just leave me alone until then. I'm horrible company…"

Aro looked at his brothers, knowing this was another depression episode she was experiencing. They had discussed this before, after Aro saw that they had happened after her transformation. He suspected something like this would happen, but he had hoped it wouldn't, for her sake. His only wish was for Hekate to always be happy. She was happy most of the time, but she was struggling so hard with it as a human that it was engrained in her from the transformation, especially since she was turned after killing herself. Marcus and Caius' un-beating hearts broke when Aro told them about it, even though Hekate had mentioned it to Marcus before. Hearing all the details Aro knew made it more real, more heart-breaking.

Marcus sighed before he jumped up into the tree, picking up his mate in his arms and jumping back down before she could resist, which she didn't. He leaned back against the tree trunk with her still in his lap. Her back was against his chest while she was resting in-between his legs. Aro sat down on one side of Marcus and Hekate, Caius on the other. Marcus spoke up while he began brushing her hair with his fingers. "You may not want to talk about it, but you need to. It will help you feel better."

Hekate frowned as she let Aro brush her tears away with a handkerchief. "I doubt it…"

Caius tilted her head up after Aro finished, brushing her cheekbone gently. "It doesn't hurt to try, love. We are here for you and we will never judge you for your feelings. We will be silent and let you talk if that's what you want."

Hekate placed her hand over his, smiling tiredly at him. Just being with them like this was already helping, the icky blackness slowly fading from her mind. She then looked back up at the moon, resting the back of her head under Marcus' chin. "I saw an article about my mother…"

Aro frowned, rubbing her arm over the cloak to respect her privacy. "Alice?"

Hekate shook her head softly, closing her eyes as she remembered her mom. "No, my birth mother, Selena. Last month was the one-year anniversary of my disappearance from New York… When I went into witness protection my mother wasn't informed like parents usually are. Witness protection probably has no idea as to what happened to me, I'm probably a missing person… My mother ran a fundraiser for missing children and raised a lot of money, earning a new article on it all…" Hekate curled up in on herself again, squeezing her wrists so hard that the skin and bones were beginning to crack. "I destroyed my mother's life! I killed her husband, I abandoned her, and she has to live the rest of her human life never knowing what's happened to me!"

The three kings stared at each other in silence at her outburst, unsure as to how to handle that. After the shock wore off the kings all moved. Caius used all his strength to pry Hekate's hands open and hold them instead. She wouldn't want to hurt him like she was silently hurting herself. Marcus wrapped his arms around her, nuzzling her neck gently. Aro was kneeled beside Marcus, holding her face up and gently caressing the smooth skin there. "Cara mia… None of that is your fault and any parent wouldn't want you to be doing this to yourself. You didn't mean to kill your father, you were protecting her and yourself. You didn't abandon your mother, you were trying to avenge the death of your dear friends and prevent future deaths from that vile gang."

Caius kissed her knuckles, looking into her eyes as he showed his rare sensitive side. "Your absence has ensured her safety, love. If you were to see your mother now, even if we hid your transformation from her, our enemies would find her. By staying away, you are ensuring that your mother lives a normal, content, human life."

Marcus kissed her neck gently, squeezing her just enough for her to feel it but not hurt her. "You are absolutely not a monster, Hekate. Not for these things and not for anything else you've done in your life. You are one of the sweetest women I've ever met. You're a vampire and you're still fighting your thirst to stay a vegetarian vampire. We all know how horrible it feels to resist the urge around humans and you've never faltered. You're so strong and amazing, Hekate."

Hekate looked at all of them before she began crying again, a smile forming on her face. "I love you three so much… I'm sorry for being a drama queen."

Marcus chuckled at the pun she made while Caius sighed and Aro just grinned at her. "We love you too, Hekate."

{X}

Hekate was too emotionally drained for anything else that night so the Royals had another movie night. This time they watched occult movies, one of the genres Hekate liked. The four of them weren't paying too much attention to the movies though. Hekate was still in the same outfit from before, her cloak hanging back in her closet. She was spread across the three men's laps, her head in Caius' lap and feet in Marcus' lap.

Caius was running his fingers through her hair. Aro was holding her hand, rubbing the back of her hand with his thumb. Marcus was rubbing her ankles and feet while. All three kings were alternating between watching Hekate and the movie, trying to let her relax after her breakdown and not bother her.

Hekate had her eyes closed, listening to the movie as she enjoyed being pampered by her kings. Her mind was clear finally, but she was a little drained from the event. She enjoyed just being able to lay there, cuddling with her mates. She hummed when Marcus began rubbing her legs higher than before, tracing the patterns of her tattoos. She ignored the tingles she got from Marcus toughing her thighs, especially since Aro was still holding her hand. She smiled when Aro squeezed her hand, laughing quietly.

Caius raised an eyebrow at his brother, "What's funny, Aro?"

Aro raised an eyebrow down at his mate, "Do you want me to tell them?"

Hekate opened her eyes, looking up at them with a shy smile. "Sure…"

Aro moved his hand down, tracing the snake on her left thigh. "You touching her here is turning her on, Marcus."

Marcus coughed as he pulled his hand back, "I am so sorry, Hekate, I didn't mean- "

Caius laughed when he saw Aro wink at Hekate who hid her face behind her hands. "She's not sorry."

Hekate sat up then, sitting on both Aro and Caius' laps, huffing at Caius. "Shush."

Caius smirked at her, tilting her head up while running his fingers over her neck and clavicle. He moved his face so close to hers that their lips were almost touching, looking into her amber eyes. "You could make me."

Marcus sighed, shaking his head as he looked at Aro, "Really?" Aro just laughed as he watched how shy Hekate was acting, but he knew how she really felt. He was still touching her leg.

Caius grinned when Hekate rolled her eyes at him, moving forward the last bit to kiss him. He hummed against her lips when she rubbed his jawline with her thumbs. Or until Hekate was pulled into Aro's lap completely. "Aro!"

Aro snickered at Caius, wrapping his arms around his mate while nuzzling her softly. "You don't get to be selfish right now, Caius." He kissed her neck up to the corner of her lips, teasing her by not kissing her lips and not letting her kiss him.

Hekate sighed at their antics, "Men…" She then reached up and held Aro's head still, using her increased strength against him. She then happily kissed Aro, melting against his chest. His hands moved to her hips, gently rubbing the skin showing there as he playfully nipped at her lips in retaliation.

Marcus laughed loudly when he saw that Caius was sulking while ignoring Aro, his eyes glued to the screen. "Jealous, Caius?"

Caius scowled deeply when he turned his head only to growl lowly when Marcus held out his arms for Hekate, their mate happily moving to his lap and curling up in his arms. "No."

The other three laughed then, big smiles on their faces. Caius' scowl lessened into his neutral expression at seeing how happy Hekate was. He turned his head when she kissed Marcus, smiling when the others couldn't see.


	23. Chapter 23

_Another chapter down! Woo! I really like this one, though I love all my kings equally. I'm just in a Caius' mood currently. Did you know his movie actor is in a really good rock band? It's a lot of story fuel, just let me tell you._

* * *

 _Thank you so much to: **Marlastiano, Angel897, CrystalVixen93, MarleeMiller5769, BellaDu57** and **You Only Live Once-Cherish It**! It means so much to hear that people really do love this story. _

* * *

Hekate smiled as she silently opened the door to Caius' art studio. She leaned against the doorway as she just watched her mate. Caius was standing in front of an easel, his side facing her. He was in a black button-up shirt, tight jeans and converse of all things. His hair was even spiked back instead of falling naturally. He looked like a normal guy instead of an ancient vampire king, an ancient vampire king who happened to be painting a carnival scene.

The painting was hectic, bright and beautiful, which was something he usually didn't do. She recognized the scene, however. It was their first date. Hekate looked at the walls around the room, as well as the storage room that was connected, the doors open on it as well. Most of the paintings Caius did were in the older styles, which made sense. The new painting Caius was doing looked almost like a picture.

Hekate smiled brightly when Caius mumbled to himself as he mixed together some brown, yellow, red and white as he tried to find the right shade for her eyes. "I know exactly what shade they are and what they look like, yet I can't replicate it!"

Hekate moved behind Caius, wrapping her arms around his waist while she leaned around. She looked down at the palette he was working on, grinning at the color he mixed. "That looks like my eyes, love." She looked up at Caius to see him looking very nervous. "I promise, it's a perfect shade." She leaned up, kissing his cheek. "Just like your works, Caius. You're an amazing artist."

Caius smiled nervously down at her as he set his supplies down, turning to her fully with his full attention. "You mean it?"

Hekate knew Caius had horrible self-image and self-esteem issues, despite his outward persona. Those only fueled the anger and violent streaks Caius had. He had to be harsh and strict to keep any sort of respect, awe, fear and power he gained. He was too afraid to show his softer sides, afraid to lose any of those things. She gently caressed his cheek, smiling up at him. "Of course, love." She leaned up and kissed him softly, closing her eyes.

Caius gently pulled her close, moving his lips slowly with hers. Soft classical music was playing in the room, sunlight coming through the huge windows that made their skin sparkle. "I love you…"

Hekate smiled up at him happily when she pulled back, barely able to do so in the first place. Kissing her mates was addictive, especially when Caius was being so needy. Even when she pulled back, he was kissing her cheek and jaw, his hands were rubbing her hips. "I love you too, Caius."

Caius pulled himself together, kissing her forehead while hugging her gently. "Since my brothers are going to be busy, how about we use the opportunity?"

Hekate tilted her head before laying her head on Caius' shoulder, "What are you proposing?"

Caius smiled as he looked outside, knowing the sun would be setting soon. "My date." He winked down at her, "We've been waiting for you to get settled in first, but-"

Hekate laughed softly, "You have no patience."

Caius smirked at her, gently squeezing her in retaliation. "Shush."

Hekate grinned as she moved out of his arms, "When do you want to leave?"

Caius looked at his watch, "Aro and Marcus should be back soon. About an hour after they get back?" He looked down at her, smiling softly. "I know you'll want to say goodbye."

Hekate leaned up, kissing his cheek in thanks. "I do, thank you, Caius. I'll go pack!" She appeared by the door before turning back, frowning at him. "What should I pack?"

Caius was about to reply when Hekate's phone buzzed in her pocket. Caius chuckled when he saw the exasperated expression on his mate's face. "Alice has that covered, I see."

Hekate smiled at him softly, "She always does." She waved her hand before walking to her room, Jane following her. "Have you heard from my mates yet?"

Jane shook her head softly, "Not yet, Hekate." She then smiled up at her, "Are you excited?"

Hekate smiled brightly down at the girl, "I am. I have no idea what Caius would want to do. Alice told me to pack for a whole weekend and for a variety of occasions."

Jane nodded softly, "That would be good. You can always buy whatever you need before you go anyways." She then sighed softly, "Caius asked Renata and Felix to go. Demetri was going to go but he's spending the weekend with Amelia in England."

Hekate smiled at that as she entered her room, pulling out the luxury suitcases already in her closet. "I'm glad for him. I really like Amelia." She then turned to the girl, hugging her gently. "I know Aro will take you and Alec at least. I'll make him if Marcus doesn't."

Jane hugged her back, smiling happily at her. "Thank you." She then sat on the chaise in the closet while she watched Hekate picking out outfits to take. "Demetri's been taking his time courting her and spending time with her away from Volterra, to give her time to adjust. We don't know her that well but she's nice." She then smirked, rolling her eyes. "Heidi is happy to have another female joining us soon."

Hekate raised her eyebrows at that, deciding which bathing suits to take. "So, she's agreed to be turned and join the coven?"

Jane leaned back on the chaise, sighing softly as she stared at the ceiling. "Yes and no. Demetri hasn't asked her yet, but she loves him as much as he loves her. She wants to be with him forever, hints at it. He just wants to be dramatic and plan a grandiose thing for it."

Hekate looked over at Jane at that, a grin on her lips. "I can see that. Demetri is quite dramatic at times."

Jane smirked, "Not as much as Aro."

Hekate laughed, hugging Jane around her small shoulders. "Thankfully. I don't think we could handle a second person in this coven as dramatic as he." She winked at the brunette when Jane laughed with her. "We love Aro, but he can be a bit much sometimes."

{X}

Aro and Marcus were on their way to Hekate's wing when Caius joined them at the cross section of the royal wings. "Brother."

Marcus smirked at him, "Using our absence as an excuse?"

Caius sighed at Marcus, shaking his head. "Not entirely. I've been meaning to ask her any day now, I was just waiting for the right moment and for her to be comfortable again."

Aro glanced at Marcus then, mentally going over what date he'd like to take her on. "We could follow the order for our first dates since you're first again, Caius."

Caius grinned when Aro and Marcus sighed at him. "Sounds good to me."

Marcus rolled his eyes, nodding to Aro. "If nothing comes up, I'll take Hekate on our date not long after you get back, Caius."

Aro hummed in agreement as he opened the door to Hekate's quarters. He smiled when he saw her sighing at her phone, shaking her head and mumbling to herself. "I am NOT getting anything from that drawer, mother." She looked up to see the kings in the doorway. She laughed nervously, putting her phone away and smiling at them. "Hello."

Aro chuckled at her behavior, wondering which drawer she was talking about. He would find out eventually though. "Hello, cara mia."

Marcus appeared beside her, sitting on the bed and kissing her hand. "Hello, dear. I'm sorry we've been so busy today."

Aro nodded softly as he sat behind Hekate, kissing the back of her head and wrapping his arms around her. "We unfortunately have more business this weekend so don't feel bad for leaving. We will miss you though."

Hekate leaned back into him, bringing his hand up and kissing it gently. "I'll miss you both too." She then leaned over, laying her head on Marcus' shoulder. "Don't have too much fun without me?" She grinned when Marcus chuckled softly, shaking his head at her.

Caius, who had been leaning against the bed's frame, smirked at his brothers. "They'll have a blast, I'm sure, dealing with insubordinate and foolish newborns."

Hekate raised her eyebrows at her mates before getting up, moving to where her luggage was waiting. "I wouldn't know the feeling since I can't be trusted around the newborns." She then paused, placing her finger on her chin. "Even though I am a newborn… Weird."

Aro sighed softly, looking at his brothers. He saw that they didn't know how to handle this, so he started for them. "Hekate, love… We are just worried. Yes, you are a newborn and will be for seven more months. You have an amazing offensive power that you could use to protect yourself. But…"

Caius spoke up then, his eyes looking hard, but he wasn't angry. He was worried about Hekate getting hurt. "You're still training. Demetri and Felix haven't cleared you yet. A newborn has the strength to kill you, but older vampires have more experience than you. They could outsmart you and kill you before we could kill them."

Marcus stood up, moving over to her and squeezing her hands. "I am not going to lose you, Hekate, not like Didyme. If it means you being angry with us in order to keep you safe, so be it."

Hekate looked at him, wanting to be angry but how could she when the heartbreak was so evident in Marcus' eyes. Hekate sighed and squeezed his hand, shaking her head. They could visibly see her deflate. "I'm sorry…"

Aro appeared beside her, brushing her hair back and gently kissing her. "There is no need for apologies, cara mia. We understand your frustrations. They are just heightened from being a newborn, which is normal. Still, I want nothing more than to have you by my side in the throne room. I just want you to be ready."

Caius nodded, holding out his arms for her. He smiled when she moved into them, wrapping his arms around her. "Aro already has your throne ready, waiting for the day you're ready to join us." He then kissed her forehead, gently squeezing her. "We're about to go on our second date and you're already upset?"

Hekate laughed softly against his chest, shaking her head. "Shush. I love you and no matter what we do, I'll love it."

Caius grinned at her before letting go, reluctantly. "I'll go tell Felix and Renata to get the jet ready, take your time and join us when you're ready."

Hekate watched as Caius exited the room at a human pace, then using his vampire speed to leave the castle. She turned only to be pulled into Marcus' chest. She smiled and squeezed him, laying her head against the crook of his neck. "I love you, Marcus. I'll be fine, you know that."

Marcus nodded against her head, kissing it. "I know, dear. I trust my brother, Felix and Renata to keep you safe." He then lifted her head up, kissing her forehead. "I will miss you dearly, but It will give me time to plan an extraordinary date."

Aro grinned at them, "That means I get even more time to make ours even better."

Hekate laughed at them, pointing at Aro. "Don't go overboard. You turned a camping trip into a glamping trip, Aro."

Aro shrugged, not looking bothered by that at all. "I can't even begin to promise that I won't go overboard." He winked at her when she walked into his waiting arms. "You know me, cara mia." He then used the chance to mouth silently at Marcus. 'What is glamping?'

Marcus shrugged comically, frowning as he did. He then sighed, knowing just how true Aro's words were. "Don't we all. With our luck he'll buy out a luxury resort in the Caribbean for the weekend."

Aro hummed in thought. "Well, I could certainly do that but that depends on the weather… I wouldn't want to keep Hekate inside all day if it's sunny…"

Hekate just sighed, thumping her forehead against his chest. "Guys… Second dates are usually just nice restaurants, a movie or some nice scenic location for a walk. Maybe some heavy making out and stuff. Not buying out hotels, anywhere, especially not in the Caribbean." Marcus and Aro laughed at her fond exasperation before they both kissed her.

"What about an entire island in the Bahamas?"

"NO, Aro!"

{X}

Hekate smiled when she boarded the jet, seeing Renata sitting in one of the chairs. Or she had been until Hekate stepped onto the jet. "Hello, Renata."

Renata quickly stood up, smiling at the queen. "Hello your… Hekate." She then took in the outfit Hekate was wearing and smiled even more. "You look beautiful, Hekate."

Hekate grinned at her, brushing some lose strands of hair behind her ear. Her hair was pulled back into a messy fishtail braid. She had on smokey eyeshadow, mascara and winged eyeliner. She was wearing a black dress that fell to mid-thigh and went lower in the back. She had on a black and green flannel over that. She was wearing black flats to match. "Thank you, Renata. You look adorable."

Renata smiled bashfully, "Thank you, ma'am." Renata was in a pink blouse with a bow by the neckline. She had on high-waisted jeans with matching pink sandals. Her black hair was pulled half-back, the rest behind her shoulders. Renata bowed her head slightly to her, "We'll take off as soon as you get settled."

Hekate peeked her head around to see Felix chilling in the cockpit, grinning at her. "Hey, Felix." She laughed when Felix saluted her in greeting. She turned and entered the bedroom, smiling when she saw Caius reclined on the bed. Hekate jumped on the bed, landing beside him with her head in his lap and her arms spread out. Hekate laughed when Caius let out a dramatic 'oomph.'

Caius chuckled as he looked down at her, leaning down to kiss her. "You're silly." He held her down securely as the plane took off, making sure she didn't fall.

Hekate hummed against his lips in agreement. She reached up, holding his cheeks in her hands so he wouldn't pull away. "You need to be more silly. You're always so serious and angry." She giggled when Caius pulled away when she let him, raising a perfectly sculpted eyebrow at her. "You are."

Caius sighed as he stroked her hair, "You, my brothers and a select few of our coven are the only people to see the other sides of me. As the only king without a gift, it's that much more important that the vampire world fears me. I have to be taken seriously which is why I'm so serious all the time. I have to be just as feared as Aro, Marcus, the twins or Demetri."

Hekate sat up, frowning at him. "Do I make you feel bad for having a gift as well?" She loved Caius with all her heart, she never wanted to upset him, make him feel bad or inferior to her.

Caius quickly shook his head, pulling his mate into his lap. "Of course not. I'm awed by your gifts, love. I am happy for you and I do not have any ill feelings about that. I only need to ensure that my reputation doesn't falter."

Hekate curled up on his lap, leaning against him. "You don't need to worry about that, love." She then smiled, kissing his jaw. "Hell, you drove a species to extinction."

Caius shuddered, remembering nearly being killed by one of those monsters. He wrapped his arms around Hekate more securely. He was glad he had done so because now Hekate would be safe from those creatures. He would absolutely lose his mind if one of them ever got ahold of his mate. He looked down at her, looking into her amber eyes with a warm smile on his lips. "As long as you believe in me, my love, I will be okay."

Hekate grinned at him, taking his hand in hers and squeezing gently. "I always will, my king."

Caius's eyes darkened at her calling him that, fighting down his desire for her. He instead kissed her forehead, closing his eyes. "I love you, my Queen."

"We're about to land, masters."

Hekate looked out the windows as they began descending, a city coming to view beneath them. "So, where have you taken me, Caius? It hasn't even been half an hour."

Caius smiled at her, brushing her hair back. "Ravenna, Italy. Just on the other side of the country which isn't far by jet."

Hekate laughed softly before looking up at him, "Well, what's in Ravenna?"

Caius winked at her. "That you'll have to wait for."

{X}

Hekate looked around as they passed by house boats, private jets and yachts as they walked down the marina. That was until she saw a big, black yacht almost at the end of the dock. She raised her eyebrows at how beautiful it was. It was very sleek, every inch of it black and had tinted windows. In the back were multiple seating areas, as well as a sitting area on the bottom where the storage was. The seats were perfectly white, matching the black yacht well. She was going to pass it until Caius stopped, grinning at her. Hekate paused, turning around to him as her jaw dropped. "This is your yacht?"

Caius laughed at her expression. "Yes. It's flashier than Marcus' but not as extravagant as Aro's."

Hekate rubbed the back of her neck as she walked up to Caius, down the little strip to get on the yacht. "Oh my god… This is crazy."

Caius grinned at her. "Get used to it love, you've joined two very rich families. Our side is just more dramatic."

Hekate grinned back at him as he helped her onto the yacht. "So, what's her name?"

Caius climbed the steps to the main level of the boat, still holding her hand. "Welcome aboard, _Persephone_ , Hekate."

Hekate smiled fondly at her mate as they stood on the main deck, turning him to face her. "You named her Persephone because you're a king of the underworld, hm?"

Caius kissed her knuckles before pulling her closer, kissing her tenderly. One hand was resting on her neck, the other on her waist. He whispered to her when he finally pulled back, looking into her eyes while his love was evident in his eyes. "I did… But it seems especially fitting now, to have my ship named after you, love. You are a dark queen, are you not? But you also have a wonderful caring side, just like Persephone."

Hekate blinked back tears, feeling her heart swelling with the love she felt for Caius. "I guess so, my Hades." She leaned up, kissing him again. That was until Felix chuckled, walking up onto the main level as well, Renata trying to be quiet as she followed him. Hekate sighed as she pulled back, smiling at the grin on Felix's face. "Oh shush."

Caius rolled his eyes, keeping his irritation hidden. "Thank you. I can get them from here."

Felix nodded his head, knowing he shouldn't tease Hekate so much, especially in front of Caius. "Of course. Do you want to take her out?"

Caius nodded his head to Felix, "Yes. We'll return in the morning." Felix nodded once more, climbing to the bridge. Renate began getting the ship ready to leave the dock. Caius then turned to his mate, smiling softly at her. "Have you ever been out on the ocean?"

Hekate nodded, looking pensive as she stared down at the floor. "Yes, once. My father took my mother and I on a dolphin and whale watch trip shortly before… before I killed him." She sighed before looking out at the ocean. She smiled faintly, remembering how beautiful the dolphins were in their natural habitat. "It was nice…"

Caius moved his left hand from her neck to tilt her head up gently. He smiled when she looked up at him. "They are beautiful creatures, though not as beautiful as my mate."

Hekate's lips turned up at the corners from the compliment. "Stop it."

Caius smirked at her, feeling a little mischievous now. "The moon pales to the light and beauty you bring to my life. The ocean's sway will always remind me of our first dance together. The songs of the whales aren't nearly as beautiful as when you sing, my love."

Hekate groaned while he continued complimenting her, covering her face with her hands. "Caius!"

Caius laughed, wrapping his arms around her and lifting her up. "Why? I love showering you in compliments, love. You deserve them and more. You are also especially adorable when embarrassed. I almost wish your heart was beating just to see you blush."

Hekate looked down at him then, moving her hands to see. The moon was rising now, the glow reflecting off the water and making Caius' look even more god-like. His platinum hair was almost glowing, his red eyes standing out even more than usual. His lips were pulled into a smirk still, which made him look even hotter. Hekate groaned before she leaned down, kissing him again. "Because I can't handle it." She stopped kissing him to talk but quickly pressed her lips against his again. She didn't want to say it, especially where the guard could hear, but she was frustrated. Sexually frustrated and her mates weren't helping, at all!

Caius hummed against her lips, one hand slipping from her waist to her ass. He grinned when she growled against his lips, her eyes getting darker. "Oh, you can't handle it?"

Hekate huffed at him, narrowing her eyes at her mate. "Caius."

Caius raised an eyebrow up at her, "Hekate."

Hekate shook her head at her mate, hiding her face in his neck. "You know what I mean."

Caius's gaze softened at her getting bashful on him. He held her securely with one arm, opening the sliding glass doors on the inside with the other. "I know, love. I'm sorry." He felt the boat move then, heading down the stairs. He then used his vampire speed to appear in the master bedroom, setting Hekate down. "Do you feel better now that we're alone?" He could hear Renata talking to Felix, both now in the bridge.

Hekate didn't reply as she was looking at the master bedroom on the yacht. The floor was black wood, matching the ship's theme, as well as the room's design. The walls were a light gray, a door built into the wall, showing a hint of the bathroom behind the slightly agape doors. The huge king bed was the focus on the room. The bed had dark gray sheets, white pillows, black pillows with white designs on the edges, a black comforter with the Volturi Crest and fuzzy blankets on the edges. The headboard was made of the same black wood as the floor. Two black end tables were on either side of the bed, lamps attached to the wall above them. The big dresser was the same style as the end tables, black with silver furnishings. A white couch was pressed against one wall, another black blanket on it as well. Two more end tables were on either side of the couch, adding more storage. Across from the bed was a desk, though you could tell it was used for art. There were pain splatters, resin smears and faded marks from harsh cleaners. She was sure the drawers held more art supplies, especially judging by the art hung up around the room. She could see Caius' signature on all of them, making her smile more. She loved seeing Caius' private rooms, where he truly got to be himself. He didn't have to hide here. Every little thing was something Caius picked out that made him happy.

Hekate turned to Caius, kissing his cheekbone. "It's beautiful, Caius."

Caius rubbed her cheekbone in return, leaning in close enough that only centimeters were between their lips. He looked into her amber eyes with his dark ones, a slight smirk on his lips. His other hand trailed down her neck, over her shoulder and arms. He lightly ran his fingers down her palm and fingers, watching her shiver from the feeling. He moved his hand to her hip, rubbing the hip over her dress. Her eyes kept looking down at his lips, her lips parting and then closing as she tried to remain calm. Her eyes and body language betrayed her. Her amber eyes, which once resembled molten gold, were steadily becoming as dark as the night. She leaned into him subconsciously, licking her lips. One hand was pressing against his cheekbone with enough force to hurt a human, but barely felt anything to him. Her other hand was clenched, a last-ditch effort to keep her composure.

Caius finally broke Hekate when he spoke Italian in her ear, licking the shell before biting the tip. " _Basta arrenderti, amore mio. Lascia che ti mostri quanto ti amo. Sei già al limite, cadiamo insieme_."

* * *

 _Don't you just love cliffhangers, guys? No?_


	24. Chapter 24

_Soooo, it's been over three months, huh? I'm so sorry, guys. I've tried to work on my fics but it's just been hard. There's been some stuff going on in my life that's been preventing me from writing. I'm working through it, don't worry. I'm going to try and update Safe and Sound as soon as possible too._

 _Thank you guys for the positive feedback on the story and the last chapter! I'm so glad you're all enjoying it so much. I hope this super fluffy chapter is just what you guys need after the long break of updating. It's probably a little rough because I have no energy to edit but I will someday, probably._

* * *

" _Basta arrenderti, amore mio. Lascia che ti mostri quanto ti amo. Sei già al limite, cadiamo insieme_."

Hekate shuddered when she felt Caius licking and biting her ear, embarrassed that a small sound escaped the back of her throat. She had to clench her fist tighter just to be able to speak, her self-control nearly broken. "What… What did you say?"

Caius's lips moved from her ear to her jaw, kissing and nipping there. "Just give up, my love. Let me show you how much I love you. You are already at the limit, let's fall together."

Hekate groaned, closing her eyes and leaning her head back so he had more access to her neck. "What about th-"

"They know by now, they have noise cancelling headphones on." He then pulled back, giving her some time to collect herself. "I can tell how tense you are, love. I only want to help you but only if you are truly ready. We can do as little or as much as you want…" He held out both of his hands, smiling softly at her. "I love you with my entire heart, Hekate."

Hekate held his hands, squeezing them tightly. "I know, Caius. I love and trust you." She moved forward, wrapping her arms around his neck. She smiled up at him, playing with his hair. "I know none of you would push me into anything I'm not comfortable with."

Caius sighed as he pulled her closer, tilting her head up and kissing her lovingly. He couldn't help himself when she looked at him like that, baring her soul to him and showing just how much she loved him. He then grunted when Hekate used her newborn strength to push him against the desk, kissing him more aggressively.

Hekate smirked when he grunted, finding it humorous that he was taken by surprise. She then gasped when he flipped them around, setting her on the edge of the desk. She pouted when Caius pulled back to chuckle at her. Her pout was quickly erased when Caius began kissing her neck again, his hands on her hips and her thighs and rubbing the smooth skin over her tattoos.

Caius nipped at her neck enough to hurt a little, spreading Hekate's legs more so he could fit between them. He growled lowly when Hekate whispered his name, looking into her eyes. "You know… I'm feeling thirsty now."

Hekate's eyes were pure black now as she looked up into Caius' equally dark eyes, gripping the desk so hard that the wood started to crack. "We can stop…" She didn't want to stop at all, but she didn't want Caius to feel uncomfortable. She hated feeling thirsty, the burn in the back of her throat driving her crazy when it got bad.

Caius smirked at her, moving her back on the desk as he moved her dress up above her hips, "Not that kind of thirsty."

{X}

Felix looked at the clock and rolled his eyes, making another turn to take them in a circle of the waters near the port. "They've been at this for hours."

Renata was tucked up in her seat, a book in her lap and her music blasting on her headphones. She only understood what Felix said because she could read lips. She shrugged, looking incredibly bashful. "She's a newborn and it's their first time doing anything. Of course, they're going crazy."

Felix groaned as he leaned into his elbow, watching the waters around them for anything. "Well, she has three mates and seven more months of being a newborn."

Renata giggled at that, smiling as she went back to reading her book. "We should just be happy they're happy."

Felix relaxed a little at that, nodding his head in silent agreement. He was happy for them, he just didn't want the mental images he was doing his best to block out. It didn't help that they were on the same boat and neither of them were being quiet.

{X}

Hekate opened her eyes when Caius checked his phone, looking at the time. She hummed as she sank further into the luxurious bathtub in the master bathroom. Caius had run a bubble bath for the two of them after they showered, relaxing in the hot water until it was time to get ready. The water was still hot enough to be steaming, helping the oils make the room smell even better. She was on one end, her feet on either side of Caius' hips. His feet were resting beside hers though he wasn't as far down as she was, but he was taller than her too. The bubbles hid her chest from view, especially now that only her shoulders barely broke the surface. Though, she spent hours baring her soul and body to Caius, she wasn't shy about her body with him anymore.

"What time is it?"

Caius sat his phone down, picking up one of Hekate's legs and rubbing it gently. "Almost eight." He smiled at her, watching how her hair swirled around her in the water. "We have an hour before your next surprise."

Hekate tilted her head at Caius, raising her eyebrows at him. "So far we've gone to the other side of Italy and spent the night on your yacht. I'm almost concerned about what we're doing today."

Caius chuckled softly, tickling the bottom of her foot. He laughed when she squirmed, trying to get away from him. "You're going to love it. I even asked your parents for their opinion."

Hekate swatted his arm when he let her foot go, moving so she was curled up against his side. "You called my parents just to ask for dating advice? You, the big bad king?"

Caius rolled his eyes fondly, tilting her head up to kiss her so she'd be quiet. "Yes, I did." He then wrapped his arms around her, moving her onto his lap.

Hekate smiled softly as she leaned her head back, it fitting under his chin since she was sunk down in the bath. "Well, I'm sure I'll love it then. But you know me pretty well by now, yourself. I trust your judgement."

Caius hugged her at that, nuzzling his nose against her neck. "You know me just as well, love." He smiled against her smooth skin, watching the water ripple as she played with the bubbles. "We're going to be around a lot of humans today. Do you want to feed before we leave?"

Hekate sighed softly as she lifted a pile of bubbles in one of her hands, popping the individual bubbles with her other hand. "I should… I can take Renata and go hunting after getting ready?"

Caius lifted Hekate up and carried her out of the bathtub, standing on the mat. "No need, we're fully stocked on blood here. Even your disgusting version."

Hekate laughed when Caius sat her down, wrapping a bathrobe around her. "Thank you, Caius." She kissed his cheek before going to her closet, finding something to wear.

Caius smiled fondly as he watched her before getting dressed himself. "You should wear a bathing suit underneath your outfit. You might be getting wet."

Hekate turned after just holding up a matching black set of undergarments. "Now I'm really curious." She put them back down, finding the black high-waisted two piece she packed. She had on a breezy black tank top over the bikini style top. She wore black, lacy, floral shorts over the high-waisted bottoms. She then put on some black flats, turning to face Caius. She smirked when she looked him over, thinking about how gorgeous he always was. He had on a white button-up shirt with black, striped swim shorts that looked like regular shorts somehow. He had on black sneakers but somehow still looked amazing. "You look great."

Caius turned to face her again and immediately pulled her into a kiss. "You look stunning, love."

Hekate felt butterflies exploding in her stomach just from the expression on Caius' face while he stared at her. "Thank you…" She then kissed his cheek, heading up to the kitchen where she could hear the guard. "Good morning!"

Renata giggled at Hekate, pouring a big glass of room temperature bear blood for her. "Good morning, Hekate." Felix kept silent but smirked behind his glass of human blood, his red eyes holding the mischief so clearly evident.

Caius scowled at Felix as he was handed his glass of human blood, daring the guard to mention anything in front of him. Hekate found it all hilarious, as did Renata even if she was a little more reserved about her joy. "Morning."

Hekate looked Renata over then while she drank the blood, wondering if they were going to a beach then. Renata had on a light-pink swimsuit on under a white shirt and pink shorts. She even had light pink flats to match. Felix was wearing a red shirt with black swimming trunks on that matched his shoes.

Caius looked at his watch when he finished his fill of the blood. "We have half an hour." He turned to the guard then, "Do you have the tickets?"

Renata nodded her head, a bright smile forming on her face. "Yes, master. Everything's in the car."

Felix chuckled at how confused Hekate looked. "Are you ready to go, master?"

Caius winked at Hekate as he began leading her off the yacht, "Yes, let's get going."

Hekate just sighed as she followed Caius down the pier, knowing she wouldn't get any answers until she arrived at whatever the surprise was.

{X}

Hekate really would never have guessed correctly because the surprise was so unusual for Caius. She expected something away from people, something private and definitely not as adventurous as this. Caius brought them to an amusement and water park on the other side of Italy. He even bought VIP season passes and golden fast passes that let them skip the lines for any ride they wanted.

Hekate grinned when the attendant wrapped the fast-pass bracelet on her wrist, looking up at Caius. "You're willingly going to go on the rides with me?"

Caius sighed when the woman also put a bracelet on his wrist. "Well, Felix volunteered to go on most of the rides with you, or Renata. I'd prefer to stay on the ground, where it's safe."

Hekate pouted at him as they began walking along the path, ignoring all the restaurants and shops. Renata and Felix were trailing behind them, looking around curiously. "Caius. It's our second date. I don't want to ride these rides with Felix. I want to do it with you." She then leaned into him when he still looked wary. "Besides, you know on some of the rides the seatbelt will force me to be all up against Felix. We wouldn't be able to help it."

Caius knew she wasn't planning on making him jealous, but he didn't like the thought of Felix having his mate pressed up against him on the rides. Especially if they were like that twister from the carnival. The force would slam her into his side and he didn't want that, not at all. He cleared his throat before nodding, glancing down at his excited mate. "Okay, for you, love."

Hekate cheered as she wrapped her arms around him, kissing his cheek. "Thank you, Caius!" She giggled when he looked a little embarrassed about her causing a scene. She pulled back, looking at the map Renata was holding. "The Oil Tower is right around the corner, we should go on it first."

Caius realized he was going to hate this day when he saw just the first ride they came to. One half of the ride shot you up fast, the other shooting you down fast from the towers. "There's only three seats in a row. You, Renata and Felix should go."

Renata held up the camera in her hands, shaking her head. "I'm going to take pictures! You three go."

Hekate looped her arms through Caius' and dragged him into the line. He managed to retain enough grace to look like he was following her, unable to stop his mate even if he wants. "Come on, love." Felix remained silent but snickered quietly to himself, following the royals down the fast lane path.

Caius scowled at the humans in line around them before he watched one of the rides get shot up in the air like a rocket. He felt his gut twist just thinking about being on that thing when it did it. He then saw the other half of the towers dropping the riders fast instead. He didn't know which was worse, honestly. "Are you sure you want me to ride this with you?"

Hekate hummed as she stepped up, waiting at the gate for the next turn. "Yes, I'm sure, Caius." She then smirked at him, nudging his side. "Scared?"

Caius huffed at her, averting his gaze and crossing his arms. "Of course not." Yes.

Hekate grinned knowingly but didn't say anything, showing her arm band to the attendant when he looked at her. "Come on, it's our turn." She sat in the middle seat, looking up when Felix was pushing her harness down over her. "Thank you, Felix, but the attendants can do that."

Felix just smiled at her, looking sincere instead of cocky like he had been. "I want to make sure you stay safe, Hekate, even if you are a resilient newborn."

Caius on the other hand was close to breaking the harness as he squeezed it to death, glaring out at Renata who was happily snapping pictures of the trio. "Just sit down and be quiet."

Hekate reached over and patted his knee, unable to see him but knew he was probably freaking out. "It will be fun, Caius. Just relax."

Caius groaned when the attendant checked the harness and seatbelt, moving on to his mate's. "Fun, right…"

Hekate had to bite her lip roughly when Caius actually squeaked when the hydraulics kicked in, the tower behind them coming to life, preparing to shoot them up like a rocket. "Five…"

"This is so stupid, why do humans do this for fun?"

"Three…"

"Can we please get off?"

"One."

Hekate let out a loud cry when the ride shot up suddenly, feeling like her insides were inside her chest cavity now. She then began laughing loudly, loving the adrenaline high she got from it. Her laughter mixed with Felix's and the other riders. Their laughter almost covered up the cry that escaped Caius' lips as he gripped tightly onto the harness.

Caius deeply regretted choosing an amusement park for his second date. He knew Hekate would love it, which is the only reason he went along with it. Though now he didn't know how he'd make it through the day, not with Hekate dragging him on all the crazy rides like this. All those thoughts left his brain when he heard Hekate's beautiful laughter ringing through the air. Despite how scared he was, his heart was so full of love at just hearing her enjoying herself. As the ride slowly began lowering them, he decided he could deal with all the craziness of this park. He'd do anything for his mate, including being scared to death on these stupid human death traps.

{X}

Hekate sat on a bench next to her mate, grinning at him. He was leaned over, squeezing his knees as he calmed down. His anxiety and nerves finally got to him just when they rode all the amusement park rides they wanted, including the ones at the water park. Caius was sure that if he was still a human then he'd be hugging one of the trash cans nearby. All those huge drops, fast speed, turns and loops really tore his stomach up. He didn't even know a vampire could feel queasy but he sure as hell did.

Hekate leaned over and kissed the side of his head, smiling against his soft hair. "Feeling better now?"

Caius sighed, leaning into her as he nodded slowly. "Yes… I just needed a break."

Hekate reached down, holding his hand and squeezing. "It's fine, love. I understand." She glanced up to see Felix and Renata still ordering prints of the last ride they went on, bags full of souvenirs on their arms. Both of their clothes were soaked in places, having just gotten off the last water ride. Hekate's own shirt was soaked, sticking to the bathing suit under them. Her hair was plastered to her skin, but she didn't mind. She had a blast with her mate and friends. Caius looked like he was worn out though. His clothes were sticking to his body and showing off how cut he was. His expression and body language didn't portray the usual confident king he was. He looked like someone who deserved a very long nap.

Caius looked at the watch on his wrist and then at Hekate. "Is there anything else you want to ride?"

Hekate shook her head, kissing his cheek again. "Nope. We managed to ride everything worthwhile. The only rides left are boring or for families."

Caius chuckled softly, getting up and pulling her up with him. "My kind of rides."

Hekate laughed with him as she began heading for the park exit, hugging him arm. "You old man." Caius just winked at her knowing she was right. She then kissed his shoulder, smiling softly at the ground as she walked. "Thank you, Caius… It took a lot for you to do this. It means a lot and I had a wonderful time."

Caius kissed the top of her head as he spotted Felix driving up to them in their car. "Then it was all worth it, my love. I'd do anything for you, you know that."

Hekate didn't want to cry in public or let the guards see her cry. So, she wrapped her arms around Caius' neck and cried into his shirt. "You have to stop being so sweet. I can't handle it."

Caius chuckled softly as he picked her up easily, getting in the backseat with her. "Never, my love. Never."

{X}

Hekate leaned against the railing on the back of the boat, watching the surf created by the yacht. The lights from the ship were reflected on the water, making it glow around them. There was a wonderful breeze playing with her hair, making a smile form on her face. She glanced over when she saw Renata going through the photos on the camera, hearing her giggle quietly. "What is it?"

Renata pushed off from the railing, moving to her queen's side. She held out the camera, showing the screen to Hekate with a grin. "Look." The picture was of Hekate holding all the huge stuffed animals that Caius' won on the way out of the park. Hekate's arms were loaded with tons of soft, stuffed animals. What really made Renata giggle was the expression on their faces. Caius was laughing at how done with him Hekate was, a huge grin on his lips. Hekate was trying to be stern but everyone could see the joy in her eyes, the way her lips were pulling up at the corners, how she was leaning into him. It was a wonderful picture.

Hekate smiled as she looked back out at the sea, enjoying the water spray that was hitting her. "I'm going to have to frame that when we get home."

Renata nodded quickly as she began looking through the rest of the pictures. "I can do that for you, ma'am!" She then smiled happily up at Hekate. "I can work on it while you go with Marcus."

Hekate gently touched the girl's arm, smiling at her with a sincere smile on her lips. "Thank you, Renata…"

She then turned her head when she saw city lights getting closer than before, realizing they were heading for a little island. She could see another island not far from that one. "Caius, where are we?"

Caius walked down the steps to their level, a small smile on his lips. "Would you like to guess, love?"

Hekate hummed softly as she watched as the island got even closer, seeing that they were pulling into a small marina, their yacht almost being too big to fit compared to the smaller ships. "I have no idea… I know we're still somewhere in the Adriatic Sea, and we're no longer in Italian water?"

Caius wrapped his arms around her, resting his chin on her shoulder. He watched with her as Felix guided them into dock, nuzzling into her neck. "For one so young you're still so intelligent, Hekate. We're at the Croatian island of Silba. There are a few tourists right now but the beaches here are beautiful, as are its waters."

Hekate hummed as she leaned back into her mate, closing her eyes as she just enjoyed the moment. She could feel Caius' strong arms around her, holding her close. She could hear Renata and Felix docking the yacht, talking with the marina staff as they did. The sea was lapping at the shore, docks and ships around them that created a soothing lullaby. The wind was playing with her hair, forming a gentle caress against her skin like Caius' was. "You're spoiling me, Caius. I took you to a carnival on our first date. You've taken me on your private yacht, an amusement park and now to a Croatian island?" She turned around in his arms and raised an eyebrow up at him. "You're making me look bad."

Caius hummed as he gently tilted her chin up, forming the perfect angle to kiss her. He paused just before their lips met, brushing his lips against her bottom lip teasingly. "Never, love. That will always be one of my most treasured memories, just as every moment with you will be."

Hekate breath caught in her throat as she finally pressed her lips against his, squeezing one of his hands tightly. God, she loved this man with all her heart. Still, her love for him wasn't shadowed by the love she had for Aro or Marcus. Her heart was big enough for all three of them at the same time, her love never having a limit for them.

{X}

Hekate paused walking when she saw two girls walking past them with ice cream in their hands, licking at the soft serve treat. They were laughing together softly, smiling at Hekate and Caius. Hekate sighed softly as she looked up at Caius, leaning into his side. His skin was cooler than the air around them, which felt amazing to Hekate. Especially since he wasn't wearing a shirt. "I miss ice cream."

Caius smiled as he kissed the top of her head, squeezing her hand back as they began following Renata and Felix again. "Hmm, well you haven't had the one treat we have to our kind, yet. Tasting human blood is almost orgasmic in taste."

Hekate glanced over at the beach where a few people were swimming, some lounging on the sand. A few people were even taking advantage of the cloud cover to hike on the cliff edges of the island. She felt the venom pool in her mouth just at the thought, clenching her other fist to ignore the burning in her throat. "I'm fine with animal blood."

Caius only hummed in response as he stepped onto the sand with her, heading to where Renata was setting up their huge beach blanket for them. He didn't believe her, but he wasn't going to push her, especially on their second date. He instead paused as he watched Hekate toss her sandals by the blanket. She pulled her hair free of the ponytail, shaking her head to fluff out her hair. She then grinned back at him, slipping the floral print dress off teasingly slow. She turned around to face him fully, walking backwards towards the water while beckoning him forward. He got a full view for the first time of the skin-tight bikini set she was wearing. The sides of the top and bottoms were lace, showing off the pale skin through them. "You're asking for trouble, love."

Hekate winked at him, finally backing into the water and moving back until it was at her hips. "Me? Never."

Caius ignored Renata giggling as she rubbed some sunscreen onto her limbs for appearances. He quickly strode into the water towards his mate, reaching out for her hands. "Oh, my apologies. I must be thinking of a different queen."

Hekate held his hands, pulling him in close to wrap her arms securely around his middle. "Exactly. I never cause any trouble or mischief." She winked at Felix who was watching them curiously before pulling harshly back. She caused Caius to lose his footing since she was stronger, both of them falling underwater.

Caius was the first to surface, his platinum hair sticking to his face and making him look like a blond, attractive version of the grudge. "Oh, you're in so much trouble little lady."

Hekate popped up from the water, laughing as she pushed her hair back from her face. "Oh, whatever shall I do?" She splashed Caius when he seemed to be debating her 'punishment', diving back underwater and swimming away.

Felix was laughing loudly on the beach as he finally put everyone's stuff away, getting a volleyball for him and Renata to play with. "He's going to kill her."

Renata just grinned as she watched Caius splashing his mate back, trying to get closer to her without using any vampire strength or speed. "They're having fun, Felix, stop teasing them. It's nice to see them so relaxed. Especially in public."

Felix had just tossed the volleyball to Renata, moving back to play with her, when he heard a loud thump coming from the cliffs to the left. He turned to see a human girl falling off a ledge on the cliffs, falling into the water. He could smell the blood gushing from the head wound from where he was, his throat burning but not as bad as it could have. They had all fed the night before, so he wasn't starved.

"Oh my god, Petra!"

"She's going to drown! Quick, get help!"

Hekate held up her arm to block the wave caused by Caius, her gaze instantly locked on the falling woman as she fell into the water. The crystal-clear water began to turn a dark red with the blood seeping from the injured woman's head. The smell was strong enough to lock up every one of Hekate's muscles, so she wouldn't move. She stopped breathing completely, trying to not breathe in any more of the delicious scent. She didn't hear Caius asking her to hold onto him, to follow him to shore. She didn't hear the woman's friends calling for her, calling for help.

All Hekate was see was the woman who was sinking to the sea floor, unconscious and unable to save herself. All she could hear was the girl's heartbeat, each beat oozing more and more delicious blood.

She finally focused on her mate when he pulled her into his chest, blocking her view of the scene in front of them. "Hekate, focus, love."

Hekate looked up into his red eyes, the same color of the blood that was calling her. She wondered if her eyes would instantly turn red if she just tasted the blood. She was used to her amber eyes now, but her resolve was weakening with each second as the scent only got stronger.

Caius's gaze grew more concerned when Hekate's gaze wasn't fully focused on him still. He could tell she was trying her best to fight, but she was still a newborn. She'd been barely sating her blood needs even since her transformation, that would eat away at anyone's resolve. He just didn't want her to make a scene in front of these humans. Hell, he'd abduct a random person and bring them to the yacht just for her. He'd abduct a whole family for her, he just didn't want her to reveal their secret to this little village.

Hekate turned to Caius, breathing in just slightly so she could answer him finally. "Let's go…" As soon as she breathed in a rescuer brought the girl to the surface, the smell's intensity increasing as fresh blood oozed from the head laceration, the sea water stopping the wound from clotting. "Please, Caius." She looked up at him, her grip on him only increasing as she did her very best not to move towards the blood.

Caius quickly picked up her, wrapping her arms around her tightly. "I got you, love. I have you." He quickly carried her through the water, back up the beach and past the guard. "Get the boat ready. We're going back to the yacht for a while."

Hekate hid her face in Caius' shoulder, breathing in his scent to mask the scent of the blood. Her eyes were pitch black, not that anyone could see them now luckily. She was shaking in Caius' arms, the villagers just thinking she was tired or traumatized by the girl almost dying.

{X}

Hekate stood on the beach, looking out at the rock cliffs where the poor woman fell. The last she heard was that the girl was alive but still unconscious. She felt horrible that she froze up, unable to help her. If she had tried though, she was sure the girl would be dead now. Maybe it was better that she was too terrified of her own self-control. Hekate sighed as she wrapped her arms around the light sweater she had on over her bikini. She sat down on the sand, stretching out her legs and leaning back on her palms.

Hekate could see Caius sitting on the beach blanket, sketching her against the moonlight with a lantern beside him for light. She smiled softly at how he was giving her space but still enjoying being with her on this beautiful island. She wiggled her fingers at him, letting out a small laugh when Caius winked at her. She looked behind Caius to see Renata walking along the shore line, dipping her toes in the water and looking for things the water washed up. Felix was playing a mobile video game, sitting on a blanket on the other side of her, keeping an eye on the royalty without being obvious.

Hekate was finally starting to relax again from all the chaos of earlier, which the rest of them were happy to see. As soon as Hekate got back to the yacht she downed glasses of animal blood to soothe the burn in her throat, as well as stop herself from doing something she'd regret. After that she just laid in Caius' arms, not saying anything while he played with her hair. She was just staring to interact with them again.

Hekate turned her head when she heard two people walking along the path behind the beach. She could easily see in the dark, able to see that it was a man trailing beside a young woman. The woman was in a black dress that looked beautiful on her. She was curled in on herself, her body language showing she wanted nothing to do with his man. She was avoiding looking at him and constantly moving away from him, keeping her hands behind her back and clenched around her keys. The man was hovering around her, trying to act charming but he was much too intoxicated to do so.

"How about we go to my place for some more drinks? The night is still young, sweetheart."

Hekate felt her eyes roll so hard it hurt, getting to her feet. She began making her way towards them, just planning on being an escape route for the poor girl. She would act like her sister since they both had pale skin and dark hair.

"Uh… No thanks. I've had too many as it is. I just want to go home and sleep."

That's no fun, sweetheart. We'd have a lot more fun together." The man finished his statement by touching her arm, his hand dangerously close to brushing against her breast.

Hekate quickly moved faster until she came up behind them, throwing the man's arm off the woman. She didn't break his arm surprisingly, but he did curse as he stepped away from her. "She said no, now walk away." She turned to the woman who was gaping up at her. "How about I walk you home?"

The man didn't know what kind of danger he was getting himself into honestly when he grabbed onto Hekate's arm, leaning in to her and trying to flirt. "How about you go home with me instead, sugar? I can show you a better time than that albino on the beach."

Renata, Felix, and Caius were all making their way to the man now, murder shining through their red eyes. Three predators were circling the man and he was holding onto the strongest of them all, all without a clue. The other woman was pressed against the railing, nervously looking at everyone. She at least had the common sense to know something was wrong.

Hekate grabbed the man's hand and squeezed so hard she felt bones breaking beneath the skin. She ignored his cry as she turned to the woman beside her. "You should go home with my friend here. She'll make sure you get home safe." She turned to Renata, nodding her head at the guard.

Renata scowled softly, wanting to make sure Hekate was safe and to see the man get killed. She knew better to argue against any of the royals though, nodding her consent to her queens wishes. She gently took the woman's hand, leading her in the direction she was heading originally. "Come on, ma'am."

The man cussed again as Hekate's grip only tightened, "What the fuck, bitch!?" He tried to punch at her with his other hand, too drunk and slow to hit her. He wouldn't have been able to land the hit even if she was still a human, he was too pathetic. "I had that slut in my bed practically! I spent all night buying her drinks just so I could get her to finally sleep with me, willingly or not."

Hekate's teeth ground harder as the men joined her side, glaring at the despicable pig before her. "You're absolutely disgusting."

Caius was growling lowly as he moved behind the man, planning on snapping his neck for touching his mate. "Allow me, love."

Felix blocked the man in on the other side, glaring down at him and crossing his arms to be even more intimidating. "It's not like he's making it out of this."

Hekate was glad it was so late because they were alone on the beach front, no one able to see or hear them. "No, Caius, I want to do it."

The man, the alcohol only aggravating his stupidity, put up his arms in a comical attack pose. "Oh, so you wanna fight now? I can take you all on, especially this little bitch."

Hekate pulled him forward, wrapping both hands around his neck and squeezing just enough for him to begin to panic. "You couldn't lay a scratch on me if you tried. Maybe now you know how the women you've undoubtedly attacked felt." She ignored the man's attempts to pry her hands off, his grunts and wheezes as he tried to suck in enough air. She blocked her powers that were just itching to slowly kill the man, wanting to physically kill him herself.

Felix glanced around before turning to the royals who were looking at each other now, having a stare down as to who gets to kill the disgusting human. "We're drawing a bit of attention now, we should hurry up. I'll dispose of his body."

Caius covered the man's mouth with his hand, using enough force that there would be dark bruises from his grip. "Go ahead, love."

Hekate smirked at the panic in the man's eyes, moving forward to snap his neck. That was until she moved closer, able to feel the man's blood pumping from his sky rocketed blood pressure and heart rate. She could feel, smell and hear the man's heart pumping wildly in his chest. Her fingers were resting right over his carotid artery, the blood fluttering against her fingertips. She licked her lips, not noticing how dark they were again. She kept swallowing the venom that was pooling in her mouth, the scent slowly beginning to intoxicate her.

Caius kept his hand clamped over the man's mouth, grimacing as he kept trying to shout for help, feeling the man's saliva and teeth against his hand. "You're the only one stopping yourself, love. Your parents won't blame you for changing your diet. This is as good as any first victim for you, he especially deserves death, don't you agree?"

Hekate nodded numbly as she pressed her nose against the man's neck. She grimaced at the scent of sweat, alcohol and cologne. But underneath all that was the man's blood, just calling out to her. "Yes… he does…"

Felix noticed how excited Caius was because they both knew Hekate was done fighting herself now. They wondered just how much this would change her because vampires never truly lived until they drank human blood. It was a drug, their life source and amplified everything for them. Hekate's abilities would be much stronger once she began drinking blood as well, training with her would be much different from now on.

Hekate took in one last deep breath before placing her lips around his carotid, sinking her teeth through the soft flesh. The skin broke like butter, the vein popping from her fangs and blood flooding into her mouth. She closed her eyes, moaning loudly at the taste running over her tongue. She moved her hands from choking the man to cradling his neck, holding him closer to her lips. She felt like her insides were on fire as the warm blood filled her up, feeling like a whole new person. It was the way she felt when she first woke up but increased by five.

Hekate whined loudly when she felt the man's heart giving out within his chest, there not being enough blood left to circulate through his body. She finally let go when the heart beat for the last time, the last bit of blood rushing into her mouth. She let the man go, the body falling into Felix's waitin arms. She looked up at the two men in front of her, her eyes blown wide and a completely new shade. Her eyes that were once a unique shade of amber were now a bright crimson red. Her already red lips were coated in blood, a little line falling from the corner of her lips.

Felix heaved the body up into his arms, smirking at Hekate. "Ah, there she is."

Hekate turned to him as Caius rubbed away the blood on her lips, pulling her into a warm embrace. "What?"

Caius hummed against her head, nuzzling her. "There you are, Queen Hekate of the Volturi. You're fully one of us now."


	25. Chapter 25

It's almost been a year since I've updated QotCr and for that I'm so, so sorry! A lot, lot of things have been going on in my life. A new relationship, trying to get back into school, classes, depression and work have all killed my ability to write. I'm trying to work on that for now, so please bear with me. I'm in no way abandoning my stories, I think about them all the time. I just never have the energy to write out what I want anymore.

* * *

Hekate walked into the lobby of the castle, spotting the human secretary tiredly sipping her coffee. That was until she saw Caius and Hekate flanked by Felix and Renata. The human quickly straightened herself, stuttering out a greeting in Italian. " _Buongiorno_!"

Hekate's now scarlet eyes didn't notice the coffee stained teeth, the smeared lipstick from the drink, she didn't even notice her revealing dress. All she noticed was how chaotic the woman's heartrate was. She could see her jugular vein pulsing through her skin, able to smell and hear the blood whooshing through her body. Her mouth quickly pooled with venom, aching to sink her teeth into the soft skin around that vein. "Yeah…. Good morning." She cleared her throat, stopping her breathing to avoid the smell. She quickly pushed open the doors to the private areas of the castle, rushing away from the sickenly rich smell.

She didn't start breathing again until she was at the library doors, able to hear Aro talking animatedly to Marcus. She could hear the uninterested hums that Marcus replied with, a small smile forming on her lips. She pushed open the doors herself, nearly slamming the doors against the walls with her accidental show of force. "I'm home!"

Caius rolled his eyes fondly as he moved past his lover, moving to sit on the couch. He was sulking he was losing his mate temporarily for her date with Marcus. "We were only gone for the weekend."

Marcus was the first to move, embracing Hekate tightly and breathing in her sweet scent. His nose was buried in her curls, not caring about the sunglasses on her face. "I missed you, dear."

Hekate wrapped her arms around his neck, squeezing him gently. "I've missed you too, Marcus." She laid her head against his, smiling contently at being held by him again. "How was your weekend?"

Marcus sighed deeply, shaking his head against hers gently. "Aro's been driving us all insane. He won't shut up about his plans for your date."

Aro scoffed as he rolled his eyes, not so patiently waiting his turn as be bounced on his heels. "I did not!"

Alec and Jane snickered behind them, both sitting at a table and playing a board game together. They shut up when Aro narrowed his eyes at them, a fatherly smile on his face when the children giggled at the look Hekate gave them. "All of you conspire against me."

Marcus moved back finally when Aro cleared his throat again, sighing deeply. "Alright, alright."

Aro grinned happily, moving forward to embrace Hekate. That was until Hekate stepped back just slightly, her posture going from relaxed to wary in a millisecond. She then panicked when she saw the hurt echo in Aro's eyes, his body language showing just how much that upset him. She held out her hand to him but wouldn't touch his hand that was frozen in air. "No, It's not like that… I'm not ashamed or wanting to hide but…"

Caius knew exactly what was going on, looking back to Felix and Renata who entered the room behind the queen. "She's just worried about what you two will think."

Marcus and Aro glanced at one another, sharing a confused and worried expression. Marcus reached out and gently touched Hekate's arm. "You can tell us anything, love. You know this."

Aro nodded softly, keeping his distance as she wanted. "Yes, cara mia. You have nothing to fear from us and you never will. What's bothering you?"

Hekate took in a deep breath as she slowly pulled off her sunglasses, closing her eyes at the last second. Panic overtook her as soon as her eyes were visible. She really wished her father were here to help deal with the panic. "I killed someone on the beach yesterday."

It was silent in the room for a few seconds before Demetri began laughing. He was chuckling deeply, bending over slightly from the force of his laughter. "Is that all? We kill hundreds of people each year, Hekate."

Aro giggled as he placed his hands together in his usual prayer position. "Cara mia, you are the Queen of the Volturi. You will kill thousands of people during your immortal life."

Marcus moved his hand down from her arm to her hand, squeezing it comfortingly. "It sounds strange, but you will adjust, dear. Some deaths are necessary, and some are for the better good."

Caius said nothing, getting strange looks from his coven. He just sat there smirking smugly, one leg crossed over the other. He then began to laugh quietly when he saw everyone's amused reactions turned to shocked ones. Hekate opened her eyes, batting her eyelashes slowly as her bright red eyes were on full display now. "I didn't just kill him… I killed him by draining him dry." She dropped her sunglasses on a side table, reaching for Aro's hands. "I was just nervous about how you'd react…"

Aro looked into her crimson eyes, his mind split in half. He was more attracted to his love more than ever, her new eyes making her even more gorgeous. The throb of arousal in his pants was testament to that, but he couldn't focus on that right now. He could easily see how distressed his mate was, thinking for some strange reason that he would love her less for this. That he would see her in a different light now that she took someone's life of her own free will. He would have to have a talk with his brothers because if only Hekate knew just a fraction of what they felt for her, she'd never doubt them again.

Aro stepped forward, ignoring Hekate's outstretched hand. He gently cupped her cheeks in his hands, smiling warmly down at her. "Cara mia… I love you more than my title as king, more than my family, more than anything in this world. You can never do anything that will make me love you less or think lesser of you. You are my entire world, cara mia. On the contrary, this news is delightful!" He giggled as he pressed his lips to her forehead, pushing back the thrum of arousal when he felt how amazing her first feeding went. "I am so very proud of you, my queen. You're finally accepting the true lifestyle of a vampire, especially one befitting the Queen of the Volturi. I am so happy for you!"

Marcus saw her lips beginning to turn up a little, her concerned gaze turning to him next. Her lips were pulling down when she saw his frown, her mind jumping to conclusions before he could stop her. He quickly tucked her into his arms, her head under his chin. He kissed her hair, breathing in her familiar scent that always calmed him down. "Don't go down that dark road, dear. I am only wondering how I've failed as a mate that you would ever think I'd think like that, especially about you. You are the reason I'm alive again, as much as I can be. You're my entire world, just like Aro said. Nothing you can do will change that." He then tilted her head up when he smelled her tears falling. He smiled sadly down at her, gently wiping a few tears away. "I love you so much, Hekate… You look more beautiful than I've ever seen you and I can't wait to see how you feel now. You're going to notice how much more powerful your gifts are, how much more heightened your abilities are going to be."

Aro leaned in and giggled at Hekate again, his hands clasped together excitedly. "We're not missing your next training session."

Demetri and Felix spoke up, looking highly amused together. "We'll need to build a Hekate-proof training room now. She'll knock it to rubble in no time now."

Hekate's tears slowly faded as she laughed with her guards, leaning into the welcome chests of her mates. "Does that mean I can skip training when I destroy the training room?"

Caius laughed at how quickly Demetri and Felix's smirks turned to dark frowns, knowing Hekate was right. "You walked into that one." He moved behind Hekate, kissing her temple as he hugged her as well. "I told you not to worry so much, love. You're the center of our universe."

{X}

Hekate sighed once again as she looked up at the jet in front of her, narrowing her eyes at Marcus who was holding his hand out for her by the staircase. "Where are we going now where we need the Jet, again?"

Marcus chuckled as Hekate placed her hand in his despite her annoyance. "I'm not spoiling the surprise before we get there tomorrow."

Hekate just sighed in response, following Marcus to the bedroom in the back of the plane. She could hear Demetri talking to his partner for the trip, Heidi, up front. "I would be perfectly content curled up watching Disney movies with you again, Marcus."

Marcus smiled softly as he opened a closet, pulling out a beautiful bouquet of black and red roses for her. "I would love that as well, dear. However, you deserve to be spoiled and we're going to do just that. I also got to pick what happened during my date, as you promised."

Hekate laughed softly as she breathed in the scent of the roses, reaching out with her other hand to hold Marcus'. "You're right… It's going to take me a long time to get used to all of this, though. Thank you for the flowers, they're lovely."

Marcus kissed her temple, pulling her into a warm embrace. "You are most welcome, dear. It's a good thing you have eternity to adjust to us, just as we have eternity to spoil you and show our love."

Hekate hid her face in his shoulder, moving her flowers to the bed so they didn't get squished. "I love you so much."

Marcus sat down, smoothly moving Hekate so she was sitting sideways on his lap. He smiled softly at her, brushing her wavy hair behind her ears. "I love you, Hekate Jackson-Whitlock. I love you with my entire heart and still find room to love you more and more every single day. You are the sun and the moon of my life, the beautiful star that my world revolves around."

Hekate's new crimson eyes pooled with venom, tears quickly spilling over and falling down her cheeks. She placed her hands on his cheeks, rubbing his cheekbones as she pressed her lips against his. "Look at our bond."

Marcus could barely pay attention to the words coming from her mouth, too focused on how drunk her kisses made him. He barely pulled back, repressing a small whine as he did. He ran his thumb over her bottom lip in place of his own lips, activating his gift as he did. His small frown turned into a beautiful grin when he saw their bond. It was the brightest and most concentrated shade of red he's ever seen. "I don't know how I ever lived without you by my side, dear."

Hekate kissed the corner of his eyes where tears began to collect, smiling lovingly into his dark red eyes. "I'll tell you a secret, my king."

Marcus ignored the twinge of arousal he got from her calling him that, looking into her eyes curiously. "And what is that, my queen?"

Hekate leaned forward, whispering in his ear after kissing the shell. "I'm never leaving your side again, Marcus."

{X]

Hekate hummed as she felt the car finally come to a stop, tapping her fingers on the door. "Why do you all insist on being so secretive? It's not like it's going to ruin it for me. I haven't seen a single place in Italy so far that's been a disappointment."

Marcus chuckled as he adjusted the black silk cloth he tied around her eyes, having layered it multiple times to block her vision. "Even so, I like surprising you. It makes me so happy to see you happy."

Hekate felt the door open form under her hand, a cold hand then taking hers. She smiled when she knew it was Demetri, letting the man gently help her out of the car. "Thank you, 'metri."

Demetri moved her onto the sidewalk, smiling at how cute the queen looked. "You're welcome, your majesty." He chuckled when she smacked his arm for that, her temporary blindness not affecting her aim at all.

Heidi opened the door for Marcus, smiling as she watched Marcus quickly move to Hekate's side. "It will be worth it, your majesty."

Hekate sighed softly at that before humming when Marcus kissed her cheekbones and then lips. "It will be if you keep doing that."

Marcus let out a loud laugh at that, pulling his mate into his arms. "I love you."

Hekate squeezed him tightly, taking in the scene around her as much as she could. She could smell the sea; its scent was exceptionally strong meaning they were very close to a beach. She knew it was dark, which only aided her temporary blindness. There were quite a few people walking around still, chattering happily to each other in a mixture of languages. Her curiosity was finally getting to be too much for her, wondering just where they were. "Can I take this off now?"

Marcus squeezed her hand softly, "Just bear with it for a minute more, my dear." He then turned to the guards who were emptying the car. "Go ahead to the room and relax for a bit. Thank you both."

Hekate raised her eyebrows when Marcus began leading her across grass, feeling it tickle her feet through her sandals. She could tell they were getting closer to the ocean, the sound and smell only getting stronger. She stayed quiet until he led her onto a raised platform of some kind. Just as she was about to protest about the blindfold again, he gently pulled it loose. Her eyes instantly adjusted, her jaw dropping at the view she received. They were standing in the ruins of a tholos, or round ancient Greek temple. The temple was placed right on the cliff edge, overlooking the harbor and sea. She ran her hands over the cool stone of the temple, turning to see Marcus smiling down at her. She cupped his cheeks, leaning up to kiss him with a smile on her lips. "I love you and it's beautiful, Marcus."

Marcus gently brushed her hair behind her shoulders, humming against her lips. "I'm so glad you enjoy the view." He then turned her around, kissing her temple as he did. "But that's only half of the view."

Marcus was right, the hotel they were at was gorgeous. The seaside was full of a lush garden, sculptures, a pool and she could see a couple of outdoor seating areas. The hotel itself seemed to blend in right against the cliff, the tan color looking gorgeous even in the moonlight. The main entrance was magnificent, full of sculptures built into the gorgeous entrance gates. She could see Demetri there smiling at them, handing the keys to the car to the valet.

Hekate looked up at the king, raising both of her eyebrows at the man. "Where are we?"

Marcus took her hand in his, bringing it up to his lips to kiss it. "Palermo, for tonight at least. It's the island at the very bottom of Italy."

Hekate hummed in response as she just took in the view, noticing how beautiful the full moon looked reflected in the dark water. "Well, as little as I've seen of it, I think it's beautiful, Marcus." She looked up at him and smiled when she saw how happy he looked. She could feel her frozen heart clench in her chest with how much love she felt for him. She knew deep inside that she made him happy, but it still made her want to cry when his true smile appeared because of her. He had been in pain for much too long, so she cherished every happy moment and smile she saw with Marcus.

Marcus pulled her closer, his hand on the small of her back. His other hand was gently caressing her cheek and pulling her closer. Their lips were just about to touch when Heidi walked up behind them. "I'm sorry, but your room is ready, your majesties." She looked embarrassed that she interrupted the two of them, but she knew Marcus would want to relax with his queen.

Hekate smiled at her, shaking her head. "It's okay, Heidi. Thank you." She leaned in further to kiss Marcus quickly. "Please tell me you're not going as crazy as Caius or Aro, Marcus."

Marcus chuckled heartily as he followed Heidi inside the hotel, his hand still on Hekate's back. "I can tell you that this time I haven't gone as crazy as them."

Hekate pouted visibly when she caught the 'this time' in the sentence. "Right. That just means you're going to next time."

Marcus kissed her cheek while grinning down at her. "We'll just have to wait and see, won't we, dear?"

Heidi hid her laugh as she opened the door to their suite, handing the keys over to Marcus. "Demetri and I are in the suite down the hall if you need anything." She bowed her head to them before sauntering off, her heels clicking against the carpeted hall.

Hekate walked into the room, having to fight to keep her expression somewhat controlled. Marcus didn't go as all out as Caius, or as much as Aro surely will. But the suite was gorgeous. You could see that the hotel was old, the walls and ceilings were cracked along the route to the suite. The gold accents still shone, matching the grandiose theme in the room. It reminded her of how the Volturi Castle was decorated, making her feel a bit more at home. "It's gorgeous, Marcus, really."

Marcus held her hand, leading her out through one of the open terrace doors. "I'm so glad you love it, dear." He pulled her around so her back was against his chest, wrapping his arms around her. He rested his chin on her shoulder, looking out at the harbor with her. The slight breeze tickled their hair, bringing along the scent of flowers and the sea. The full moon looked even more gorgeous from the higher vantage point, calling out to the queen. Together the two of them stood there long enough to watch the moon climbing higher in the sky, just enjoying the moment of being together.

Marcus broke the silence first, gently kissing her neck. He hid his smirk in her skin when he heard the quiet moan she tried to hide from him. "Time has been meaningless to me for eons now… However, once you entered my life, I'm finally able to cherish the passage of time with you. Even when I'm barely able to wait for your surprise tomorrow."

Hekate turned around to face him at that, playing with a strand of hair that had been blown by the breeze. "Oh really? And what could be so amazing that you, the patient king, are antsy?"

Marcus winked at her at that, silencing her questioning with a kiss. "You'll just have to patient with me, dear."

Hekate pouted at that until Marcus began kissing down to her neck, letting out a small noise despite trying to hold it in. "If we're going to be doing this the entire night, I'm fine with waiting."

Marcus laughed against her marble skin, nipping at the smooth skin over her jugular vein. "Are you certain? We could go explore the city."

Hekate's eyes seemed to glow in the moonlight at that, narrowing them at her mate. "No, we will not." She then drug him inside, laughing at the coy smile on his face. "You're not leaving this room until the sun rises."


End file.
